05/31/06 Transamerica

Transamerica (2005), directed by Duncan Tucker

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

Again, another important film of the year that garnered much deserved praise and accolades from the Oscars and other award shows. This one being a quirky tale dealing with a subject matter that probably has never truly made it into the mainstream thought pattern. Felicity Huffman does a terrific job in the difficult role of portraying (but in no way would it compare to the struggles that I'm sure real-life persons in this situation must endure) a pre-operative, male-to-female transsexual coping with a modern society that often shuns them. Through the advice of her psychiatrist, Bree (Huffman) has been saving money waiting for the timing to be right to accept the operation. Just when she thinks she is ready, a huge surprise is dropped in her lap...the shocking phone call that tells her she has a long-lost son from a previous relationship in her life as a man. At first denying the facts, Bree is confronted by her psychiatrist to take this responsibility head-on, as she goes across country to bail the son out of jail. Upon her arrival, she claims to be a Christian missionary there to save him...but an awkward bond is soon formed as the two embark on a cross-country road-trip of self-awareness and mutual understanding. However, the both of them are not totally honest with each other & their mistaken identity/mistaken sexuality forces their relationship to become strangely skewed. Hitting plenty of emotional/moral potholes along the way, and hitting some hot-button issues that don't often catch the notice of mainstream Hollywood...the film takes you on an uncomfortably enlightening ride. Just enough comic relief to keep it light-hearted, but when the pain & emotions hit, they hit hard.

4 out of 5 stars