It's been a long while since I saw it so I can't remember every specific reason I didn't like it, but the one thing that has always stuck in my mind was the scene where they showed her penis by the road side while she was peeing.

I can't really verbalize right now why it bothered me so much, but I thought I'd put this out there to see if anyone else had issues with this movie.

I also didn't like how, if my memory serves me right, the movie seemed to focus on her needing the vaginoplasty to be a woman, which imho adds to the stereotyping of trans-folk as being heavily sexually-focused in their lives / transition.

Here's a quote from the actress about the scene and her state of mind while filming.

QuoteFelicity Huffman on How Playing This Confusing Gender Affected Her Personally: "It actually did in an odd way because I'm not one of those actors just because I'm able to do it, I lost myself in the part and didn't know who I was. I mean, I wish I could. Towards the end of filming, I walked into the ladies room in full regalia and I'm not kidding, I walked in and went, 'Wow, I'm not supposed to be here,' and I walked out. Then I said, 'Oh no, I am,' and walked back in again. [Laughing] It took me twice before I said, 'Okay, I'm actually a woman,' and walked into the ladies room. That was sort of frightening [laughing].

The other time I actually felt the part was living in me and getting me a bit off balance is when Duncan [Tucker, writer/director] came to me and said he wanted to shoot me by the side of the road and peeing. That wasn't in the script, the full-on shot. To digress a second, wasn't it interesting because it's a moment that pulls you out of the movie just cause it's so shocking? It pulls you out of the story and yet in at the same time. It's a wonderful take there that switches you around. Oh God, no pun intended [laughing]. So when he said he wanted to shoot that, I burst into tears. I was sobbing and couldn't breathe. He said, 'What? What? It's a prosthetic and it doesn't matter.' I realized that I was living with Bree so long that the idea of even doing it for the crew and showing that was humiliating because it wasn't who I was, and it wasn't who I truly am. I found it too vulnerable."

The two portions I put in bold bother me for some reason.

Once again, having a hard time verbalizing today.

I think ultimately I don't feel like she was a good representative of the transwomen I know.

Sure it's a step up from from trans-as-victim, but she wasn't exactly an empowering trans-character either imho.

I don't know. I think this part expresses the feelings of dysphoria she felt even just playing the part. She felt for a second how it would feel.

QuoteSo when he said he wanted to shoot that, I burst into tears. I was sobbing and couldn't breathe. He said, 'What? What? It's a prosthetic and it doesn't matter.' I realized that I was living with Bree so long that the idea of even doing it for the crew and showing that was humiliating because it wasn't who I was, and it wasn't who I truly am. I found it too vulnerable."

IT took me a few views for it to sink in. I disliked it for a long time as I felt she hammed up the overly trans guy-in-a-dress waving-the-arms-around-too-much thing, it's such a stereotype that I really really don't like. But I managed to get over that.
I didn't like the gay son and having homosexual themes running through the movie.
The penis scene didn't really effect me at all, I found it more funny than anything. But from reading your quote I do feel sorry for Felicity to be put in that position at such late notice, that is not fair. There is a lot of obligation with improvised scenes.

But out of all the TG movies I've seen this one moved me emotionally more than some others.. the relationship with her mother was really well played and the bath scene at the end..aawwwwww *tear*.
After several viewing I ended up liking it, but it's not a movie I can watch regularly.
I really haven't seen any TG movie that has made me say  "yes this is the one, show the whole world now!!!".

I saw the movie a short time after I came out. It was the first TG movie that I saw. I didn't understand much about SRS or hormones at the time but I connected with Bree's plight. The rejection, confusion, and struggles she was going through. I tend to take a movie for what it's worth. Transamerica opened my eyes to some of the issues transsexual people deal with.

Gennee

I have yet to even see it.  Maybe Wednesday I will try to rent it.

Quote from: Muffin on January 09, 2010, 06:06:34 PM
I really haven't seen any TG movie that has made me say  "yes this is the one, show the whole world now!!!".

I'm with you on that.
I doubt such a movie will come along for quite some time - it's certainly a step in the right direction, though, to have more movies and shows that present some sort of thoughtful portrayal of trans people. Hopefully, they'll get better over time.

Funny thing...I barely watched the movie two months ago.

I was visiting my mom's boyfriends' brother; Kelly, who is openly gay and he said "Here watch this movie!"

So I ended up watching it and I love it. Though it'll likely have different opinions and views...Me, personally; I love it and think that "Hey! At least it's a step up and not a trans movie focusing on how bad trans-people are!"