Was the story and character relaistic. I want more TG stories.

I'll probably still see it either way [NO SPOILERS, PLEASE] cos it got very good reviews, but just wonderring if the story is rwealistic/typical?

I thought some of the supporting players were a BIT cliched and i found the was the main character was drawn at first (the kind of hyper-proper routine) to be a bit...I dunno, maybe reinforcing of a kind of silly stereotype?

BUT Felicity Hoffman does a really convincing job with the part and as her character grows over the course ofthe film you get to a place where you really do like this person that started out so brittle - which is, to me, what makes the story ultimately work because you can see that even for all the effort that's already been put in, she really doesn't entierly know yet how to relax in her new identity and that's what she gains over the course of the film.

Still, as good a job as she did (and the roles of her therapist and the cowboy were both REALLY well played) there were moments that I found particularly uncomfortable. It's not a perfect film, or even a perfect trans film, but I think most of us would like it.

It starts off a bit flakey I thought, but it's a good movie really.

I also agree with Laura, some is too stereotyped, but in many ways really did capture a lot of what we go through. Even if you aren't trans it makes for a good movie.

I agere with Laura and Leslie.  The thing I found interesting about it was that it would be a good story and a good film, even if the main character wasn't trans. 

Yeah, it could have been better, but their treatment of the main character was really good.  She was far more complex than in the the usual CD or "->-bleeped-<-" film.  I think it's worth seeing.

- Kate

I think they really, really wanted to make a good movie, one that was accurate, to the point, and (of course, since it's the reason they make 'heartfelt' movies in the first place) could reach out and make a specific topic (transsexualism) more general (being who you are supposed to be) and thus reaching out and helping people 'understand'. 

So they managed to make it 'very real' - these are all people you might actually meet, it's not ->-bleeped-<- freak show time, but like all real people, their lives are not necessary good cinema because of it.

Reese Witherspoon owes Felicity Huffman her Oscar however, Ms. Huffman was amazingly good at being that person.

was seen as an abomination by others.

Perhaps by those that see abomination under every rock and behind every tree, but I just checked with IMDB* and skimmed five pages of reviews and never found a negative thing said about it (and that's rare at IMDB), most focus, as any film buff would, on the Huffman and Segers acting work, but everyone liked it, or at least didn't hate it.

*Internet Movie DataBase, for film freaks like myself, its a well worn tab on my Firefox.  Aside from all the film credits (all hyper linked) and the usual stuff, it also has a good quotes section, a list of awards, a goof posting (for people who watch way too closely) and my favorite, because so many times I've been watching a movie and wondered, where are they shooting that, a list of filming locations.

Quote from: tekla on August 12, 2009, 07:42:01 AM
was seen as an abomination by others.

Perhaps by those that see abomination under every rock and behind every tree, but I just checked with IMDB* and skimmed five pages of reviews and never found a negative thing said about it (and that's rare at IMDB), most focus, as any film buff would, on the Huffman and Segers acting work, but everyone liked it, or at least didn't hate it.

Well then, let's don't let Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber and Michael Savage find out then!

Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber and Michael Savage

Speaking of things found under rocks....

I thought it was ok but not great, though as someone noted, I think it aimed high. It just didn't quite get there.

The main character bugged me a bit cos she does what a lot of real transwomen do, and that is overdo the femme stuff. And yes, she was kind of Miss Prim at times. But that's the character. So I'm saying she portrayed the character as intended, but that kind of character makes me twitchy. However, I did laugh at and enjoy the scene where she is shopping for a sleeping bag and they are all dark green and brown and stuff, and she wants to know if they haven't got a pink one. 

That sleeping bag scene reminded me of the last time I went shopping for male clothing, which would have been in 2001 or '02. I wanted a turtleneck sweater and went to the men's dept. I found that I could have any color I wanted, as long as it was white, black, dark green or brown. Then I went past the women's clothing on the way to check out, and there was every color under the sun. I thought, "this is retarded, I'm never buying men's clothing again. And I never did.

It was an okay movie. I'm glad they cast a female in the role. Most other movies with a trans character I have seen have a man with an NFL player's body portray the trans woman. Using women in these roles is a step in the right direction, but I was annoyed with the makeup job they gave Huffman. She's a very attractive woman, but they really uglified her face for some reason. It distracted me through the entire film.

Quote from: ilikepotatoes on August 12, 2009, 09:29:36 AM
It was an okay movie. I'm glad they cast a female in the role. Most other movies with a trans character I have seen have a man with an NFL player's body portray the trans woman. Using women in these roles is a step in the right direction, but I was annoyed with the makeup job they gave Huffman. She's a very attractive woman, but they really uglified her face for some reason. It distracted me through the entire film.

Which begs the question should they have cast a woman, a man or a mtf in Hoffmans roll?

I enjoyed the movie overall and would watch it again.

=-{LR}=-

Quote from: Ladyrider on August 12, 2009, 11:18:06 AM
Which begs the question should they have cast a woman, a man or a mtf in Hoffmans roll?

I enjoyed the movie overall and would watch it again.

=-{LR}=-

I think it should have been done entirely with puppets.

should they have cast a woman, a man or a mtf in Hoffmans roll?

OK, I'm going to go real slow here, but here goes.  As it turns out, Raymond Burr was not a lawyer, never went to law school at all - still, he was Perry Mason.  The people on CSI are not scientists, the people on Law and Order are not cops.  It's called acting.  They were interested in casting her as the actor in that role, and her alone in that part, its not about gender, its about talent.  Who exactly is the awesome MtF actor out there who would have done better? 

Quote from: tekla on August 12, 2009, 04:11:24 PM
should they have cast a woman, a man or a mtf in Hoffmans roll?

OK, I'm going to go real slow here, but here goes.  As it turns out, Raymond Burr was not a lawyer, never went to law school at all - still, he was Perry Mason.  The people on CSI are not scientists, the people on Law and Order are not cops.  It's called acting.  They were interested in casting her as the actor in that role, and her alone in that part, its not about gender, its about talent.  Who exactly is the awesome MtF actor out there who would have done better?

Dear me...  Thank you for going real slow for me, it's easier for me to understand that way, you are such a dear.  I would never have guessed "Raymond Burr was not a lawyer, and that he never went to law school at all or that the people on CSI are not scientists, or the people on Law and Order are not cops."

I don't even really know who the awesome MtF actor is or if in fact there is one.  In fact I don't even know if they asked for any MtF to audition for the part.  I was simply asking for opinions.   I guess I'll take that as yours pumpkin.

-={LR}=-

I read somewhere that Felicity Huffman named her prosthetic cock "Andy."

Hollywood types don't make 'movies', they do projects.  Most of the time the star is in place before the project is pitched to investors, its a package deal.  And I say that because I'm amazed that we somehow expect that they should hire trans actors to play trans persons, but we don't hire cops to play cops, or lawyers to play lawyers.  What's the difference?

It was good, in that it brought transsexualism into the minds of many people who didn't know much about.  Was it a good movie?  I didn't think so.  I really didn't agree with the casting of a woman in the main role.

Normal was a much better movie.  Jessica Lange, as the transwoman's wife gives an awesome and moving performance.  Seeing Tom Wilkinson (who has no feminine features) playing the transwoman really drives home the point that sometimes the need to transition goes against common sense, logic, and pragmatism.  There is an incredible scene where their local pastor takes a position that is totally unChristian.  It also has one of the best movie lines ever, when Lange voices her frustration with her transitioning husband:  "You're not a woman!  Only a man could be this selfish!"

Quote from: Ladyrider on August 12, 2009, 04:43:14 PM
Dear me...  Thank you for going real slow for me, it's easier for me to understand that way, you are such a dear.  I would never have guessed "Raymond Burr was not a lawyer, and that he never went to law school at all or that the people on CSI are not scientists, or the people on Law and Order are not cops."

I don't even really know who the awesome MtF actor is or if in fact there is one.  In fact I don't even know if they asked for any MtF to audition for the part.  I was simply asking for opinions.   I guess I'll take that as yours pumpkin.

-={LR}=-

well i can't think of ANY transwomen actresses? I guess they could have done the "non-professional actors who are the real character" thing, like they do for a lot of ethnic parts. Like slum dog millionare, or maria full of grace? Could work? are there any movies that do that actually?

I liked Beutiful Boxer. I saw this first before Transamerica

Quote from: tekla on August 12, 2009, 06:45:33 PM
Hollywood types don't make 'movies', they do projects.  Most of the time the star is in place before the project is pitched to investors, its a package deal.  And I say that because I'm amazed that we somehow expect that they should hire trans actors to play trans persons, but we don't hire cops to play cops, or lawyers to play lawyers.  What's the difference?

You're right.  It's as ridiculous as finding a real deaf woman for Children of a Lesser God, or a real black man for In the Heat of the Night.