Chely Wright: Wish Me Away

2012 "A Nashville star comes out and finds her true voice"
7.4| 1h37m| en| More Info
Released: 29 May 2012 Released
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Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

After a lifetime of hiding, Chely Wright becomes the first commercial country music singer to come out as gay, shattering cultural stereotypes within Nashville, per conservative heartland family and, most importantly, within herself. With unprecedented access over a two-year period, including her private video diaries, the film layers Chely's rise to fame while hiding in the late 90's with the execution of her coming out plan, culminating in the exciting moment when she steps into the media glare to reveal she is gay. The film shows both the devastation of internalized homophobia and the transformational power of living an authentic life. The film also documents the conflicting responses from Nashville, the heartland and the LGBT community as Chely Wright prepares for an unknown future.

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Reviews

MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.
Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.
WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
atlasmb My musical tastes include Country music. I purchased a couple of Chely Wright's CDs years ago, long before this documentary was produced. She is a talented, beautiful woman with a strong instrument.This documentary, Wish Me Away, besides showing us Chely's roots, counts down the days until her big reveal on NBC's Today Show. She is the first major Country star to say he/she is gay. The film explains her obvious concerns about coming out to friends, relatives, and Country Music fans.We hear, with heart-wrenching honesty, about the unhappiness and even self-destructive thoughts she had to deal with for years and years. The irony, of course, is that all of her self-flagellation and sadness stemmed from religion, yet she still longs for acceptance from a god figure that cannot tell her she's accepted. Just as she still desires acceptance by her mother, the one who personifies the hatred and abuse of her religious upbringing.The story is punctuated with discussions about sin, but those discussing it cannot even agree on what sin is. It was a nebulous tormenter that made her question her own self-worth.Eventually Chely felt that she had to come out, because the promise of self-actualization was stronger than the fear of rejection by others. In the film, we see how distraught she is as the coming out day approaches. She even has to contend with a gay book editor who condemns her for a sexy photograph she posed for, as if all lipstick lesbians are liars. The journey was not simple, though Chely had a circle of close friends who never wavered in their support of her.Today Chely is a campaigner for equality and understanding in the arena of sexual orientation rights. She is an activist who seems to cherish that role, in part perhaps as compensation for the Country Music fans who abandoned her.Her story is touching and even tearjerking. More than that, it is important. It is a story of courage that should be viewed by many of the people who would be afraid to view it.
fairytales911 This documentary was very personal and powerful. I support Chely so much and it is inspiring that she chose to come out. It is extremely difficult to come out in general but to be such a public figure and a country artist is remarkable. When she said she did it for the small town kids who feel alone, that hit me in the heart. Suicide is the leading cause of death among LGBT youth and it is great that Chely is giving them a role model and someone to look up to. Over all great film and congrats again to Chely for making the world a better place. You will probably cry even if you are not a LGBT member. Maybe because you can relate to parental conflict or being true to yourself when society wants you be someone you're not. It's also very real to see the countdown to her coming out. It's the raw Chely and it's powerful to see. Definitely worth the watch and I will watch it again.
riccitenn When my partner and I had the opportunity to watch this film last year at Memphis Outflix movie festival, I vaguely knew who Chely Wright is. I have never been a country music fan, but her story certainly intrigued me. Her story of her internal struggle is common among the gay community. But not only did she have to deal with coming out to family and friends, she was in the spotlight of the intensely homophobic world of country music. I found her journey to be often very sad, but in the end extremely inspiring. I even bought her last CD, which compared to her earlier work seems so much more heartfelt and personal. So, even if you're not a country music aficionado or not sure who she is....this story is well worth watching.
teesaucla Chely lets the audience into her personal journey of publicly acknowledging that she is a lesbian. It's a story of doubt, anguish, rejection, courage, acceptance, and joy ... a beautiful story that draws you into this emotional coming out story of a celebrity who knows that this decision will exact a price on her singing/professional career. Unknown to Chely during this process is the magnificent affect her courage will have on those hundreds and thousands of youth who will find strength in her story. This is a must see especially if you have a friend or loved one who is part of the LGBT community. For those who have already experienced their own coming out journey, this story will make your heart soar with pride as you watch her story unfold.