Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Boots is a series about a gay man who signs up for the Marines. It’s loosely based on the memoirs of Greg Cope White, The Pink Marine.
Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) is a closeted gay teen who is unhappy with his life and looking for a change. He lives with his mother, Barabara (Vera Farmiga), who is so self-absorbed that she pays little attention to her children. When his best friend, Ray McAffey (Liam Oh), joins the marines, Cameron considers joining him. After mulling it over, Cameron decides that enlisting in the Marines would be a good way to change his life for the better.
Knowing that Barabara will not approve of his plan, he waits until she’s pre-occupied to inform her. His plan works, and Barbara doesn’t realize what happened until he’s gone and it’s too late to interfere. What follows is a story of self-discovery, camaraderie, and personal growth.
Some Thoughts:
Boots has a fine cast of characters and an interesting premise but fails when it comes to basic storytelling. Although the plot relies on Cameron being unsure of himself due to his relationship with his mother, his childhood is barely explored. Instead of a flashback or two between Cameron and Barbara, we get some random facts that don’t add up. The biggest one being that they live in a nice house, but Barabra can’t hold down a job. Luckily the acting overall is good enough that these inconsistencies aren’t too noticeable.
To make sure the viewer understands Cameron’s inner struggle after he enlists, he often talks to his alter ego. This type of lazy storytelling would normally induce eye-rolling on my part, but it’s used sparingly enough that it never becomes too annoying. Still, since Cameron doesn’t have split personalities, nor is he highly imaginative, it feels like a cheap and unnecessary gimmick.
What keeps Boots afloat is the acting, which is surprisingly good. There are some fun twists and turns, but it’s the cast that give the characters life and holds your interest. And since the series doesn’t focus solely on Cameron, the supporting cast is given a chance to shine. It also helps that the minor plots are more interesting than the one they revolve around.
The Final Verdict:
Boots is a poorly conceived story that only works because of a fine cast of actors and interesting sub-plots.