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Review #13 of 365
Film: Transamerica [R] 103 minutes
WIP: $10.50
When 1st Seen: 23 January 2006
Where Viewed: AMC Pacific Place 11, Seattle, WA
Time: 10:10 p.m.
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DVD | soundtrack |
In my mind, a good movie critic does not think about his or her review before or during a movie. In fact, I prefer to just enjoy the movie and then to write the review as soon as I can after the credits roll when I can be certain that no animals were harmed in the making of the film. Unfortunately, there were several times during Transamerica that I thought to myself, what am I going to say about that? I know some people quite well that might be very wary of a movie about a man undergoing gender reassignment surgery on a cross country journey with his new found son. I myself was wary, but I was intrigued by the courage of Felicity Huffman—I’ve been a big fan of her since her days on one of my all time favorite intelligent comedy shows, “Sports Night”—in taking on this role. The Hollywood Foreign Press awarded her this year’s best actress in a Dramatic Film Golden Globe Award for her role as Stanley turning into Sabrina (Bree) Osborne. Meanwhile, Kevin Zegers—the kid from all the Air Bud movies now all grown up—plays the son. So, I took the leap of faith in the HFP and took a chance on this film.
Transamerica could now hold the record for pushing nearly every red hot conservative social button there is, and yet, there is something real, and touching, and terribly sad about the circumstances of the characters in the film, something that draws you in and makes you really care about them and what happens to them. The film shows us the evolution of love of a father and son that reaches some sort of extremely uncomfortable Oedipal complex heights that will really give some people the creeps. Still, at its core, the film is about learning to love oneself and family acceptance and the damage done by self-loathing and hatred. Learning to judge people for their inner vs. outer strengths and weaknesses is also a central theme. Even by today’s standards, the film is evocative and controversial in parts; yet, again, whether you accept the concepts or not, there is much to be learned about accepting people and the value of respect in human dignity. Both Ms Huffman and Mr. Zegers did an outstanding job in this film in making fully developing their characters. I have to hand it to the HFP—I think they got it right this time.
Transamerica is not for everyone, but it fills a niche, and for everyone else that might see it, I would suggest taking it one step at a time and realizing that since no one of us is perfect, there may come a time in our idyllic little lives that we might have to wrestle with fact that the utopian vision we have for our children and our siblings and our parents may be exactly that, an imaginary vision. What fed us that vision? Was it based in reality in the first place? How do we handle this better if not completely well? The film is tender, thought provoking, and quite humorous in spots, and, again it will tempt the ire of people who do not want to accept the wide range of diversity that exists in human culture.
The film's only major weakness in my view was the ending. It was tied up all a bit too neatly on the one hand, and on the other, it was hard to believe. I would have preferred to see a bit more of the conflict and the resolution.
Now Available for Purchase on DVD
Transamerica [DVD] (2005) DVD
| Soundtrack | VHS | DVD |
| More Kevin Zegers | More Felicity Huffman |
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