Review of Tangerine (2015) by Glenn G — 17 Sep 2015

MIDNIGHT COWGIRL - My Review of TANGERINE (4 Stars).

I spent the years from 2000-2005 working as a health educator inside the LA County Mens Central Jail, primarily in its notorious "K-11" dorms where LGBT inmates were housed. I've often been asked to describe it, and my go-to answer has always been, "It's as if they rounded up everyone on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Highland and threw them in a cell together." For those out of the loop, that intersection is notoriously where transgender prostitutes ply their trade, with Donut Time being a place to rest their feet.

I share this to contextualize the opening minutes of writer/director Sean Baker's (along with co-writer Chris Bergoch) propulsive, engaging, hilariously grimy TANGERINE. Just out of jail and sharing a Christmas Eve morning donut with her pal and co-worker Alexandra (Mya Taylor), Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) quickly learns that her pimp boyfriend Chester (James Ransone) has been cheating on her. Immediately, I thought, "This film is soon K-11", expertly capturing the lingo, confidence, smarts and outrage of its inhabitants. Like any good screenplay, the story is expertly set in motion as Sin-Dee and a drama averse Alexandra hurtle their way through the tough, sunlit streets of Los Angeles in search of the pair who did her wrong.

Shot on tricked-out iPhones by Baker and Radium Cheung), TANGERINE may be a no-budget indie, but its style and feel for the streets of LA couldn't be more dead-on. Basically one long extended chase sequence, our cinematographers keeps the cameras moving and swooping around our subjects, a perfect way to capture our strutting divas. This is the underbelly of the city, you know, where people do more walking than driving and are actually used to interacting with each other. Along the way, Alexandra continuously hits up acquaintances to come to her show that night at Hamburger Mary's, while Sin-Dee badgers anyone and everyone as to the whereabouts of Chester and a woman whose name begins with a "D". Yep, that's all Sin-Dee has to go by, yet this ferocious survivor knows how to find her way.

A somewhat random "B" story emerges involving a taxi driver Razmik (Karren Karagulian) and his many fares. For a while, I didn't know why we were watching these vignettes, but I was glad I stuck with it, as connections start to emerge. Regardless, there's an unforgettable moment when the driver encounters the worst kind of drunk passengers imaginable, which will force me to bring 409 with me whenever I get into another cab. Eventually, Razmik's story helps weave the fabric of the story together as everyone faces the inevitable question of whether they prefer to be alone in this world or not.

Believe me, it's a tough world at best, and TANGERINE captures anger, desperation and the need to connect with another human being in ways I haven't experienced since John Schlesinger's classic MIDNIGHT COWBOY. Like Ratso and Buck, Sin-Dee and Alexandra need each other more than they know. The glaring light, street sounds and reliance on percussion on the soundtrack evoke an LA more common than its glamorous cinematic counterparts. I felt every bead of sweat and every step of their journey. There's a bravura sequence in which Alexandra busts into a seedy motel room and literally drags one of its occupants all over the city. The push-pull of their relationship is fascinating, never knowing which one is really playing the other.

The emotions in this film play on so many different levels, I was astounded. Our leading pair can be quite theatrical when necessary, but there's real tenderness underneath the surface, especially during the stunning final scene. As the harsh light of day turns to desolate night, your heart comes to ache for this pair. If you're gonna live in a world where everything and anything can be your enemy, you could do worse than have a Sin-Dee or an Alexandra on your side. Laughing one minute and then cringing at how dark and combative their world can be, I came to care about the people of TANGERINE. It's a buddy movie with street smarts.