(TG
Life)
Transamerica
is the story of a post-operative transsexual named Sabrina (Bree)
Claire Osborne, who two weeks before her scheduled male to female
sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) discovers she has a son. Toby, a
seventeen-year-old street hustler that is currently in jail,
phones Bree looking for Stanley -- the father he has never met,
the man Bree once was. Bree hangs up and
continues making her telemarketing calls. She mentions the call to
her therapist, but then quickly dismisses the validity of the boys
claim and pushes it out of her head. She is determined that
nothing will detour her from the only thing in her life that
matters – the surgery.
Bree’s
therapist however insists that she has to deal with her past
before she can take the next step towards her future. She refuses
to sign the needed paperwork for the surgery until Bree confronts
the situation. Bree bails Toby out of the youth
correctional facility without revealing her true identity, and
gives him $100. When she learns that he is planning to hitchhike
to California to star in porno movies, Bree buys a car and offers
him a ride. Her intention of reuniting Toby with his stepfather;
unaware of why Toby left in the first place, backfires.
Though
the “road trip” does have some clichés, director Duncan
Tucker uses the ride to reveal the strengths, weaknesses, fears
and aspirations of the characters, which he accomplishes with
humor and sensitivity. With each mile the journey evolves in ways
that Bree never expected.
The
film doesn’t make sweeping statements about transsexuality.
Though there is some dialogue between Bree and her estranged
family on the issue, and there is a short scene at the home of
another transsexual played by Bianca Leigh,
the story is more about a character that happens to be transsexual
than it is a film with a transsexual agenda.
Engaging
from beginning to end Transamerica works for two simple reasons:
engaging characters that you come to know and care about, and
strong performances from the entire cast (Felicity Huffman's
superb performance earned her a Golden Globe Best Actress award).
Transamerica
is a solid film on many levels. 4 stars.
Have
a comment? Email
me
Read
Breakfast
On Pluto or
return to Reviews
Copy
right 2006 - Brie Austin - All rights reserved
