Is Running with Scissors woke?
Movie · 2006
Running with Scissors has a wokeness score of 7/10, which we rate as Strongly Ideological. Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key points
- Normalizes underage gay relationship with older man as consensual exploration without judgment.
- Portrays mother's lesbian identity and self-actualization as valid amid mental instability.
- Rejects traditional family and authority in favor of eccentric, boundary-free 'chosen' dynamics.
Wokeness analysis
The 2006 film adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' memoir centers on a dysfunctional 1970s family marked by mental illness, parental abandonment, and eccentricity, with the protagonist's homosexuality and an intergenerational same-sex relationship as key elements. These aspects receive non-judgmental portrayal, framing the teen's sexual involvement with a much older man as a natural exploration rather than exploitation, while the mother's later lesbian identity adds to the theme of fluid self-discovery. Conservative reviews highlight how the story normalizes pedophilic dynamics and treats all sexual choices as valid without moral consequence, reflecting the era's 'anything goes' ethos but presented through a lens that avoids condemnation. Director Ryan Murphy, known for pushing boundaries in shows like Nip/Tuck, emphasizes queer identity and challenges to traditional family structures, making these elements prominent. Though the core remains a chaotic coming-of-age tale of survival amid absurdity, the intentional inclusion of unapologetic LGBTQ themes and rejection of conventional norms elevates the ideological weight, often feeling shoehorned to underscore personal liberation over traditional values. The film's episodic structure prioritizes shocking vignettes of deviance, aligning plot and characters with messaging that celebrates boundary-pushing self-expression at the expense of clear ethical framing.
Plot
Based on Augusten Burroughs' memoir, the film follows young Augusten in 1970s Massachusetts as his mentally unstable, aspiring poet mother Deirdre and alcoholic father divorce. Deirdre sends the boy to live with her unorthodox psychiatrist Dr. Finch and his chaotic household, where rules are nonexistent and residents include eccentric daughters and patients. Augusten befriends the rebellious Natalie, navigates his emerging homosexuality through a relationship with Finch's adult adopted son Neil, and grapples with abandonment while finding surrogate support. The story blends dark comedy with drama, chronicling survival in absurdity, the mother's decline, and Augusten's path to independence as a writer in New York. It received mixed reviews for its performances but criticism for tonal inconsistency.
Analyzed by AI on August 31, 2026