Prayers for Bobby

On the day of his grandmother's birthday party in Walnut Creek, Bobby is uncomfortable as his family makes homophobic jokes. His sister gifts their grandmother a journal but is rebuked, and Bobby starts writing in it to vent his anxiety and depression. The scene foreshadows the conflict between his private life and public expectations.

Bobby is uncomfortable kissing his girlfriend and ends the relationship; he enters a local gay bar but leaves flustered. Across the street, he notices the Metropolitan Community Church and later tells Mary that he had been at church, signaling his search for acceptance. The moment marks a turning point between desire, religion, and belonging.

After Bobby's aspirin overdose, Ed finds him and Bobby confides that he is gay, begging him not to tell Mary. Ed decides to tell Mary anyway, hoping to protect him but unaware of the emotional cost. This disclosure strains the family’s dynamics and faith-based expectations.

Mary and Robert take Bobby to a conversion therapist who blames inadequate parenting and prescribes prayer and church activity as cures. The therapist also urges Mary to bond more with Bobby and to push for a ‘cure’ through faith. The session deepens Bobby's sense of isolation and mistrust toward his family.

During a camping trip with Ed and Robert, Bobby declares his dream of becoming a writer, which his father dismisses as unrealistic. He agrees to go along with his parents' plan for acceptance, but the pressure of expectations strains him further. The moment highlights the clash between parental ideology and personal aspiration.

Over time, Bobby's father and siblings become less uncomfortable with his sexuality, while Mary clings to the belief that he can be cured through faith. The family’s outward acceptance contrasts with Mary's ongoing struggle to reconcile belief and Bobby's reality. The home remains emotionally tense as old beliefs collide with new truths.

In the summer in Portland, Bobby stays with his accepting cousin Jeanette, who introduces him to David at a gay bar. The two begin dating, and Bobby experiences a sense of belonging he hasn’t felt before. The relationship offers him a temporary refuge from the family’s conflict.

David tells Bobby that his own parents eventually accepted his sexuality, giving Bobby hope for his own future. The couple grows closer, yet David’s distance in the following weeks threatens Bobby’s fragile happiness. The warning foreshadows the fragility of chosen families.

Bobby drops out of high school and moves to Portland to be with David, seeking a fresh start. David’s growing distance and the weight of Bobby's depression intensify his sense of alienation. The move marks a turning point toward isolation rather than reconciliation.

After seeing David leave the gay bar with another man, Bobby descends into deep despair and becomes suicidal. He free-falls off a bridge onto a highway, where an oncoming truck kills him instantly. The tragedy devastates his family and shatters their fragile beliefs.

At Bobby's funeral, the priest leading the eulogy disrespects him for his sexuality, and Jeanette publicly denounces Mary's stance. The event exposes the harm caused by prejudice and the pain of parental judgment in the wake of loss.

Mary discovers Bobby's journal and begins to read the emotions he kept hidden. She becomes despondent and questions her church's interpretation of scripture, seeking guidance from the MCC reverend and attending a PFLAG meeting. The process marks the start of her transformation.

Having confronted her role in Bobby's death, Mary delivers a candid speech at a local city council meeting condemning religious homophobia. She admits her earlier bigotry and urges people to consider the impact of their words on children. The measure she supports is rejected, but the message endures.

The family travels to San Francisco with fellow PFLAG members to walk in the Pride parade. Mary sees a young man who reminds her of Bobby and embraces him, recommitting to the fight for gay rights. The experience seals her new resolve to advocate for acceptance.