Prayers for Bobby

A 2009 Lifetime movie based on the true story of Bobby Griffith.

Bobby is 18 years old, lives with his loving family, goes to church, and... is gay. When his mother finds out, she attempts to cure Bobby with prayers and psychiatric help.

None of it works, of course, and Bobby sinks deeper into depression and self-loathing. He finally kills himself... which causes his mother to reevaluate her beliefs about homosexuality.

Some people might find the movie to be rather heavy handed, but one must also keep in mind that this is is actually Truth in Television in many cases, including this one.

---

Tropes used in Prayers for Bobby include:

• An Aesop: Parents, telling your child that he/she is inherently sinful because he/she is gay is bad, and may drive your child to suicide.
• Based on a True Story
• California Doubling: Actually, in this case, Michigan doubling. Ferndale (a suburb of Detroit) stands in for the suburbs of Portland (the one in Oregon).
• Cure Your Gays: Mary Griffith's strategy, which drives her son to suicide.
• Driven to Suicide: Bobby.
• Gayngst
• Heel Realization: Mary Griffith.
• Hey, It's That Guy!: The coordinator for the gay center Mary attends is played by Dan Butler, Frasier's Bulldog Briscoe.
• I Just Want to Be Normal: Bobby.
• Redemption Quest: Mary Griffith, who became a gay rights activist after Bobby's death.
• Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped
• Tear Jerker
• Where Everybody Knows Your Flame: Bobby pays a visit to a local gay bar in his town.