Hate Crime (film)
Encyclopedia
Hate Crime is a 2006 drama film
, written and directed by first-time director
/writer
Tommy Stovall and starring Seth Peterson
, Bruce Davison
, Chad Donella
, Cindy Pickett
, and Brian J. Smith
. Making this film was Stovall's first experience on stage and working with actors; he had only self-produced videos previously.
) and Trey McCoy (Brian J. Smith
) are an openly gay couple living in a suburban home near friend and next-door neighbor Kathleen Slansky (Lin Shaye
). The couple plans to hold a commitment ceremony to exchange rings. Trey's mother, Barbara (Cindy Pickett
), suggests to Trey, who suggests to Robbie, that the couple consider raising a child.
When Chris Boyd (Chad Donella
) arrives next-door with a moving truck with friend Alton Kachim (Luke King), they disgustedly watch Trey kiss a nervous Robbie. Alton annoys Chris with his homophobic
jokes, and suggests they "do something about it." Chris makes unprovoked, threatening remarks toward Robbie, telling Robbie he will "go to hell" and warns him to “watch his back." Chris is a youth pastor and the son of Pastor Boyd (Bruce Davison
) who vehemently condemns homosexuality. Chris delivers Robbie his church's pamphlet after Kathleen refuses it and threatens retaliation should Chris get involved. Robbie subsequently learns of the church and Pastor Boyd, who is angered to learn Chris has long been estranged from his presumed daughter-in-law.
While walking his Boston Terrier, Trey is brutally attacked with a baseball bat and is taken to a hospital, where he falls into a coma. Under criminal investigation, the Boyd family conspires to agree on Chris' alibi. Robbie commits to a child, but Trey soon suffers severe brain hemorrhage and dies, having never awakened since the attack. Robbie dons himself and Trey with their commitment rings at Trey's viewing.
The investigation is transferred to homicide Detective Esposito (Giancarlo Esposito
), who asks Robbie if he killed Trey, pointing out his insurance policy and the fact that Robbie’s were the only set of fingerprints on the bat. Robbie is arrested and given a restraining order
for assaulting Chris after a failed attempt to get a surreptitiously tape-recorded confession from Chris. Esposito moves to make a case against him.
Robbie enters Chris' home and finds gay porn in his internet bookmarks. Pastor Boyd confronts Chris with a private investigator’s photographs of Chris meeting for anonymous gay sex on multiple occasions, and it is revealed that Chris was meeting one of his lovers on the night of the murder. Detective Fisher (Farah White) contacts Alton, who surmises that Chris killed Trey, because he phoned his parents' home and he was not there. Pastor Boyd confronts his son and confesses to murdering Trey. Robbie tape-records Pastor Boyd confessing to the murder and turns the tape over to Esposito. Esposito refuses to move against the pastor and confiscates the tape, but Barbara recovers it. Chris contemplates suicide
, yet refuses to testify against his father; he does, however, leave Robbie his father's gun. Robbie, Kathleen, and Barbara conspire and execute a plan to kill Pastor Boyd in a disguised break-in to retrieve the tape-recording. With Chris's testimony against his dead father, Esposito reluctantly accepts the staged break-in as fact.
on March 16, 2006 and the following night in Los Angeles
at Laemmle
's Sunset 5 in recognition of the second annual International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The film premiered in Stovall's hometown of Dallas, Texas
at the Magnolia Theater on April 27, 2006. The film premiered in Canada at Rainbow Cinemas on August 16, 2006, and proceeds were donated to the AIDS Committee of London. Canadian Ebony Tay, the film's co-producer and composer, worked with Stovall to write lyrics for the controversial closing credits dance song "Jesus by 45," which she performed live at most of the movie premiers' cities. The song was featured on Billboard Top 20 Dance Club Hits. Image Entertainment
released the film on DVD on November 14, 2006.
Roger Ebert
gave the film 2.5 stars, calling it "actually more of a thriller than a social commentary." In Ebert's review, he wrote that the film "holds our attention and contains surprises right until the end" and "raises complex moral issues that makes the movie more thought-provoking than we could possibly have expected." The Arizona Republic
said first-time filmmaker Stovall "appears to have an ax to grind against organized religion". The Orange County Register
called the cast "talented" but labeled the film a "revenge fantasy", its villains "transparent", and the plot resolution "sadly predictable."
.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
, written and directed by first-time director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
/writer
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
Tommy Stovall and starring Seth Peterson
Seth Peterson
Seth Peterson is an American actor, best known for his role as Robbie Hansen from 1999 until 2002 on the television series Providence....
, Bruce Davison
Bruce Davison
Bruce Davison is an American actor and director.-Early life:Davison was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Marian E. , a secretary, and Clair W. Davison, a musician, architect, and draftsman for the Army Engineers. His parents divorced when he was three years old. He was raised by his...
, Chad Donella
Chad Donella
Chad E. Donella is a Canadian actor who has appeared in several movies and television shows.-Life and career:He attended the Arts York Drama Program, in which he participated in such plays as Oedipus Rex, Waiting for Godot, and The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. He has performed at Toronto's...
, Cindy Pickett
Cindy Pickett
Cindy Lou Pickett is an American actress best known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap Guiding Light; her role as Dr. Carol Novino on the hugely popular television drama St...
, and Brian J. Smith
Brian J. Smith
Brian J. Smith is an American actor who is known for his role as Trey in the 2006 independent film Hate Crime and as series regular Lt. Matthew Scott in the military science fiction television series, Stargate Universe....
. Making this film was Stovall's first experience on stage and working with actors; he had only self-produced videos previously.
Plot summary
Robbie Levinson (Seth PetersonSeth Peterson
Seth Peterson is an American actor, best known for his role as Robbie Hansen from 1999 until 2002 on the television series Providence....
) and Trey McCoy (Brian J. Smith
Brian J. Smith
Brian J. Smith is an American actor who is known for his role as Trey in the 2006 independent film Hate Crime and as series regular Lt. Matthew Scott in the military science fiction television series, Stargate Universe....
) are an openly gay couple living in a suburban home near friend and next-door neighbor Kathleen Slansky (Lin Shaye
Lin Shaye
Linda "Lin" Shaye is an American film, theatre and television actress.-Early life:Born in Detroit, Michigan, Shaye is the daughter of Dorothy , a homemaker, and Max Mendle Shaye, a painter and supermarket owner. Her brother is film executive Robert Shaye...
). The couple plans to hold a commitment ceremony to exchange rings. Trey's mother, Barbara (Cindy Pickett
Cindy Pickett
Cindy Lou Pickett is an American actress best known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap Guiding Light; her role as Dr. Carol Novino on the hugely popular television drama St...
), suggests to Trey, who suggests to Robbie, that the couple consider raising a child.
When Chris Boyd (Chad Donella
Chad Donella
Chad E. Donella is a Canadian actor who has appeared in several movies and television shows.-Life and career:He attended the Arts York Drama Program, in which he participated in such plays as Oedipus Rex, Waiting for Godot, and The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. He has performed at Toronto's...
) arrives next-door with a moving truck with friend Alton Kachim (Luke King), they disgustedly watch Trey kiss a nervous Robbie. Alton annoys Chris with his homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
jokes, and suggests they "do something about it." Chris makes unprovoked, threatening remarks toward Robbie, telling Robbie he will "go to hell" and warns him to “watch his back." Chris is a youth pastor and the son of Pastor Boyd (Bruce Davison
Bruce Davison
Bruce Davison is an American actor and director.-Early life:Davison was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Marian E. , a secretary, and Clair W. Davison, a musician, architect, and draftsman for the Army Engineers. His parents divorced when he was three years old. He was raised by his...
) who vehemently condemns homosexuality. Chris delivers Robbie his church's pamphlet after Kathleen refuses it and threatens retaliation should Chris get involved. Robbie subsequently learns of the church and Pastor Boyd, who is angered to learn Chris has long been estranged from his presumed daughter-in-law.
While walking his Boston Terrier, Trey is brutally attacked with a baseball bat and is taken to a hospital, where he falls into a coma. Under criminal investigation, the Boyd family conspires to agree on Chris' alibi. Robbie commits to a child, but Trey soon suffers severe brain hemorrhage and dies, having never awakened since the attack. Robbie dons himself and Trey with their commitment rings at Trey's viewing.
The investigation is transferred to homicide Detective Esposito (Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito is a Danish-born American film and television actor and director.-Early life:Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to an Italian father and African-American mother. His mother was an opera and nightclub singer from Alabama, who once appeared on the same...
), who asks Robbie if he killed Trey, pointing out his insurance policy and the fact that Robbie’s were the only set of fingerprints on the bat. Robbie is arrested and given a restraining order
Restraining order
A restraining order or order of protection is a form of legal injunction that requires a party to do, or to refrain from doing, certain acts. A party that refuses to comply with an order faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
for assaulting Chris after a failed attempt to get a surreptitiously tape-recorded confession from Chris. Esposito moves to make a case against him.
Robbie enters Chris' home and finds gay porn in his internet bookmarks. Pastor Boyd confronts Chris with a private investigator’s photographs of Chris meeting for anonymous gay sex on multiple occasions, and it is revealed that Chris was meeting one of his lovers on the night of the murder. Detective Fisher (Farah White) contacts Alton, who surmises that Chris killed Trey, because he phoned his parents' home and he was not there. Pastor Boyd confronts his son and confesses to murdering Trey. Robbie tape-records Pastor Boyd confessing to the murder and turns the tape over to Esposito. Esposito refuses to move against the pastor and confiscates the tape, but Barbara recovers it. Chris contemplates suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, yet refuses to testify against his father; he does, however, leave Robbie his father's gun. Robbie, Kathleen, and Barbara conspire and execute a plan to kill Pastor Boyd in a disguised break-in to retrieve the tape-recording. With Chris's testimony against his dead father, Esposito reluctantly accepts the staged break-in as fact.
Cast
- Seth PetersonSeth PetersonSeth Peterson is an American actor, best known for his role as Robbie Hansen from 1999 until 2002 on the television series Providence....
as Robbie Levinson - Bruce DavisonBruce DavisonBruce Davison is an American actor and director.-Early life:Davison was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Marian E. , a secretary, and Clair W. Davison, a musician, architect, and draftsman for the Army Engineers. His parents divorced when he was three years old. He was raised by his...
as Pastor Boyd - Chad DonellaChad DonellaChad E. Donella is a Canadian actor who has appeared in several movies and television shows.-Life and career:He attended the Arts York Drama Program, in which he participated in such plays as Oedipus Rex, Waiting for Godot, and The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. He has performed at Toronto's...
as Chris Boyd - Cindy PickettCindy PickettCindy Lou Pickett is an American actress best known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap Guiding Light; her role as Dr. Carol Novino on the hugely popular television drama St...
as Barbara McCoy - Brian J. SmithBrian J. SmithBrian J. Smith is an American actor who is known for his role as Trey in the 2006 independent film Hate Crime and as series regular Lt. Matthew Scott in the military science fiction television series, Stargate Universe....
as Trey McCoy - Susan BlakelySusan BlakelySusan Blakely is an American film actress who has mainly played supporting roles.-Early life:Blakely was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1948. She is the daughter of Weezie, a former art teacher, and Colonel Lawrence Blakely, a career Army officer. Her first career break came while she was living...
as Martha Boyd - Lin ShayeLin ShayeLinda "Lin" Shaye is an American film, theatre and television actress.-Early life:Born in Detroit, Michigan, Shaye is the daughter of Dorothy , a homemaker, and Max Mendle Shaye, a painter and supermarket owner. Her brother is film executive Robert Shaye...
as Kathleen Slansky - Farah White as Det. Elizabeth Fisher
- Giancarlo EspositoGiancarlo EspositoGiancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito is a Danish-born American film and television actor and director.-Early life:Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to an Italian father and African-American mother. His mother was an opera and nightclub singer from Alabama, who once appeared on the same...
as Detective Esposito - Sean HenniganSean HenniganSean Hennigan is a voice actor. He resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Dee.-Anime:* Baccano! - Maiza Avaro* Burst Angel: Infinity - Mayor Norman* Ghost Hunt - Matsuyama* Hell Girl - Koichiro Kisaragi* Jyu Oh Sei - Odin...
as Jim McCoy - Brandy Little as Stella
- Ben Bathman as Connor Davis
- Luke King as Alton Kachim
- Earl Browning III as Detective Loy
- Scarlett McAlister as Doctor Kucera
Premiers
Hate Crime made its world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January, 2005. The film debuted at the Breckenridge Festival of Film in September 2005 and won three awards. It premiered in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on March 16, 2006 and the following night in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at Laemmle
Laemmle Theatres
Laemmle Theatres is a group of family-run arthouse movie theaters in the Los Angeles area. It was established in 1938 and is owned and operated by Robert Laemmle and his son Greg Laemmle....
's Sunset 5 in recognition of the second annual International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The film premiered in Stovall's hometown of Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
at the Magnolia Theater on April 27, 2006. The film premiered in Canada at Rainbow Cinemas on August 16, 2006, and proceeds were donated to the AIDS Committee of London. Canadian Ebony Tay, the film's co-producer and composer, worked with Stovall to write lyrics for the controversial closing credits dance song "Jesus by 45," which she performed live at most of the movie premiers' cities. The song was featured on Billboard Top 20 Dance Club Hits. Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
released the film on DVD on November 14, 2006.
Reviews
Film criticFilm criticism
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films, individually and collectively. In general, this can be divided into journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, and other popular, mass-media outlets and academic criticism by film scholars that is informed by film theory and...
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film 2.5 stars, calling it "actually more of a thriller than a social commentary." In Ebert's review, he wrote that the film "holds our attention and contains surprises right until the end" and "raises complex moral issues that makes the movie more thought-provoking than we could possibly have expected." The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is a daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. It was ranked tenth in US daily newspapers by circulation in 2007.-Early years:The newspaper was founded...
said first-time filmmaker Stovall "appears to have an ax to grind against organized religion". The Orange County Register
The Orange County Register
The Orange County Register is a daily newspaper published in Santa Ana, California. The Register is the flagship publication of Freedom Communications, Inc., which publishes 28 daily newspapers, 23 weekly newspapers, Coast magazine, and several related Internet sites.The Register is notable for its...
called the cast "talented" but labeled the film a "revenge fantasy", its villains "transparent", and the plot resolution "sadly predictable."
Awards
The film won 10 independent film festival awards in 2005, including the Audience Awards for Beast Feature at the Sedona Film FestivalSedona Film Festival
The Sedona International Film Festival founded in 1994 is held in Sedona, Arizona, USA each year. A workshop also accompanies the event.The Sedona Film Festival is a five-day festival that features more than 125 films, including features, documentaries, foreign films, shorts, animation and student...
.
External links
- Official site (Adobe FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
)