Review of Tootsie (1982) by Lasttimeisaw — 03 Feb 2015

The synopsis of Sydney Pollack’s drag comedy TOOTSIE can be construed as follows: a struggling thespian/acting coach Michael Dorsey (Huffman) cross-dresses as a woman Dorothy Michaels to secure a role in a popular daytime soapie, and scoops up massive acclamation as a single, middle-aged role model who disseminate fresh air of women being independent and self-confident, which profoundly inspires her fellow actress Julie (Lange), whom Michael has a huge crush on.

If one has yet watched the film, the synopsis might get on someone’s nerves, how on earth a man at the end of his tether can so easily thrive in the same line of business as soon as he acts in the opposite sex? What is more, he even becomes some sort of the guiding light to the dismissive gender while sporting a hard-on under his dress, it could only be a straight guy’s pipe-dream with a penchant for sexism and male chauvinism, the movie could have been a total train wreck under a lesser brain.