Boys Don’t Cry

Brandon's transgender status is revealed to a former girlfriend's brother, and he receives death threats as a result. The threat marks the beginning of a dangerous atmosphere for him in a conservative rural environment.

A bar fight erupts and Brandon is evicted from his cousin's trailer. The eviction forces him to seek somewhere else to live.

Brandon moves to Falls City, Nebraska and befriends ex-convicts John Lotter and Tom Nissen, and Candace and Lana Tisdel. He forms a close circle despite their differences.

Brandon becomes romantically involved with Lana Tisdel, who initially doesn't know his anatomy or troubled past. The romance deepens despite the deception.

Brandon and Lana plan to move to Memphis so he can help manage Lana's karaoke career. They envision a new life away from their small town.

They kiss during a date night and eventually have sex, marking a turning point in their relationship. The moment cements their bond and fuels their plans for the future.

Police detain Brandon on charges that predated his relocation and place him in the women's section of the Falls City jail. He becomes a target of local suspicion because of his gender presentation.

Lana bails Brandon out and asks why he was kept in the women's jail. He lies, claiming he was born intersex and will undergo genital reconstruction, but Lana rejects the deception and stands by him.

Candace and friends discover birth-name documents and transgender pamphlets in Brandon's belongings. The discovery shocks them and confirms their suspicions.

Tom and John confront Brandon in John's bathroom, forcibly exposing his genitals in front of Lana as she looks away. The moment confirms the group's hostility toward his gender identity.

The attackers drag Brandon into John's car and drive to an isolated location, where they brutally beat and gang-rape him. The violence is swift and brutal, leaving him severely harmed.

Brandon escapes through a bathroom window at Tom's house and decides to report the assault. The police chief questions his gender identity and shows little concern for the crime.

John and Tom, drunk, go to Candace's house and find Brandon hiding. John shoots Brandon in the chin, killing him. Tom shoots Candace in the head, killing her as Lana pleads for mercy.

Lana fights to stop them, but Tom stabs Brandon's lifeless body and John and Tom flee. Lana sits with Brandon's corpse as a baby wanders outside.

Lana's mother arrives and takes her away from Falls City as she reads Brandon's letter promising to wait in Memphis. The emotional ending hints at a hopeful future across state lines.