Rain Beau's End Review: A Family Drama With Great Period Touches and Wonderful Representation

Release date: March 8, 2021
Running time: 103 minutes
Starring: Janelle Snow (Exodus, Chicago Med), Amanda Powell (Utopia, The Red Line), Ed Asner (Cobra Cai, Dead to Me, UP), Sean Young (Blade Runner 2049), Christian Stolte (Chicago Fire, Public Enemies), Melanie Chandra (Code Black, Law & Order SVU) and Kirk Kelleykahn
Directed by Tracy Wren
Written by Jennifer Cooney Original story by Joe Orlandino

RAIN BEAU'S END is an intimate lesbian family-drama situated in the late 1990s, depicting how the labelling of their adopted son affects a lesbian couple's relationship as they struggle to raise their family in the spotlight. The film tells a motherhood story starting when a prominent, progressive lesbian couple, Hannah Driver and Jules Paradise, adopts a child named Beau who is subsequently diagnosed with 47, XYY; which was believed at that time to make boys more prone to aggressive behavior (and has since been disproved).

This film has a great amount of representation, with a lesbian couple as the main stars.  The film doesn't shy away from their sexuality or their relationship, it celebrates them.  Rain Beau's End addresses stereotypes, people's discomfort, and some of the trust issues that can affect any relationship.  But it also shows the love that the two have for each other and for their son, despite the challenges that arise from it.  The couple are pretty open and discuss their thoughts and feelings.  The film's story is told through dialogue between the characters an not just between Hannah and Jules.  Their friends and coworkers are also involved in the discussion about the two's life, relationship, and Beau.  And the film spans a period of years, following all these characters throughout the early years and adolescence of young Beau.  And I also liked seeing how character's relationships changed over the years, how a former adversary became a friend and vice versa. I also really enjoyed the period touches in the film, like how a first generation iMac was used to showcase the time period. 

However, the film depicts this couple as they grow with their son, but the son is never shown in the film.  It was confusing at first, because I wanted to see the kid.  I imagine this is a choice of the director, to only learn about Beau through his deeds, actions, and the observations of the main characters, but it is a little strange to never see him.  It can be comical at times because the characters will be discussing Beau and he's just off in the other room, like  a sort of Weekend at Bernie's scenario.  Additionally, although the synopsis of the film talks about how the aggression from XYY was eventually disproven, it doesn't really feature in the film.  I wish that there was more information about this as one could walk away from this film thinking that XYY made someone aggressive and that these women were able to overcome that.  I appreciate the desire to focus on people's perceptions, and I think the use of a later disproven genetic condition is a great way to do it, but the film did not do a thorough enough job explaining this in the movie itself.  

Rain Beau's End features prominent representation, with a story about a progressive lesbian couple and the struggle they face raising a complicated child and dealing with public scrutiny.

Rent it.

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Rain Beau's End will premiere exclusively on Lesflicks on March 8, 2021.