The Miseducation of Cameron Post 2018

Set in 1993, the story follows Cameron Post, portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz, a high school junior living in a small Pennsylvania town. Since the tragic passing of her parents, she has been living with her Aunt Ruth, played by Kerry Butler. Cameron grapples with her identity while attending Bible study and secretly engaging in intimate moments with her best friend Coley, delivered by Quinn Shephard. Their relationship reaches a critical point at the homecoming dance, where they sneak away to smoke weed and share intimate experiences in a car. However, their private moment is disrupted when Cameron’s homecoming date, Jamie (Dalton Harrod), stumbles upon them. As a result, Aunt Ruth, burdened with distress from the revelation, sends Cameron to “God’s Promise,” a conversion camp aimed at “curing” young people of their same-sex attractions.

Upon arrival at the camp, she meets the cheerful Reverend Rick, played by John Gallagher Jr., who introduces her to her new roommate, Erin (Emily Skeggs), whose side of the room is festooned with memorabilia of the Minnesota Vikings. Reverend Rick explains the camp’s rules, takes away her cassette tape, and has Cameron sign a contract. The students are designated as “disciples,” indicating their commitment to the camp’s program. That night, Cameron is haunted by dreams of her first sexual encounter with Coley, interrupted by the staff conducting nightly checks on the disciples.

As days pass, Cameron begins to bond with Erin, who wholeheartedly believes in the camp’s mission, claiming that Reverend Rick once battled similar attractions but emerged victorious. On her first class day, Dr. Lydia Marsh, portrayed by Jennifer Ehle, introduces Cameron to the camp’s philosophy, depicting same-sex attraction as merely a surface issue requiring deeper examination. On a jog, Cameron discovers Adam (Forrest Goodluck) and Jane (Sasha Lane) sneaking into a cellar to smoke weed, revealing a glimmer of rebellion within the camp walls.

Throughout her experience, Cameron witnesses the struggles of her fellow disciples. She learns about the emotional burdens that brought them to God’s Promise. The dynamics shift when an incident occurs during a group therapy session, where tensions peak after another disciple, Helen (Melanie Ehrlich), questions Cameron’s commitment, leading to scrutiny from Dr. Marsh. Cameron reveals her fond memories of Coley, which only intensifies the scrutiny, as Dr. Marsh insists on her need to work harder to confront her truth.

A turning point comes when Cameron sneaks off during a field trip to call Coley, only to discover in a letter that Coley feels Cameron used their friendship as a means to explore a lesbian identity. This revelation strikes Cameron deeply, leading her to doubt her self-worth. Despite the turmoil, with encouragement from Adam and Jane, Cameron starts taking the camp’s program more seriously – she diligently follows exercises and confronts her feelings.

The emotional turmoil reaches its peak when Mark (Owen Campbell), a disciple set to return home, crumbles under the pressures of the camp and his father’s expectations. The devastating aftermath of Mark’s attempt to harm himself galvanizes Cameron into action. She confronts Reverend Rick, expressing her disillusionment with the camp’s techniques. An investigator arrives to assess the camp’s practices, eliciting a candid admission from Cameron about the emotional abuse she and her peers are enduring.

In a moment of solidarity, Cameron, Adam, and Jane devise a daring escape during breakfast, leaving behind the oppressive environment of God’s Promise. Together, they set out on a transformative hike, laughing and embracing the newfound freedom that awaits them, hopeful for a brighter future ahead.