Review of Transamerica (2005) by Mario E — 20 Apr 2010

There's something about a well-done dramedy that stirs our hearts and opens our eyes to the true humanity behind our fellow people, and one example of such a film is Duncan Tucker's "Transamerica". The thing is that a good dramedy comes along only once a year or so, and most of them are really just mild excuses for entertainment that fails miserably at entertaining. When "Transamerica" came out in 2005, I immediately dismissed it as an uninteresting attempt at a masterpiece; then when Felicity Huffman started winning all those prizes for her leading performance I became somewhat interested, but other films soon took my attention away. It wasn't only until recently when I saw a DVD copy at a discount store and I bought it just for the hell of it, to save for an afternoon of boredom. Such an afternoon soon came, I popped the disc into my DVD player...and I was riveted to the edge of my seat from the first minute all the way to the last word of the end credits.

The film follows Bree Osbourne (Felicity Huffman), an extremely conservative transsexual woman who's scheduled for her sex change operation in a week. One day she receives a mysterious phone call informing her of a son she never knew she had, and her world is turned upside down; she wants nothing to do with him. But her psychiatrist and best friend (Elizabeth Peña) refuses to grant her the final signature on her sex change documentation unless she travels to the other end of the country to meet her 17-year old son (Kevin Zegers) in the attempt to give closure to her past life as a man.

Bree unwillingly does as she's told, meets with the boy (who turns out to be a charming, good-hearted and tormented drug fiend and bisexual gigolo), and destiny somehow sees them traveling cross-country back to Bree's homeland, and on the way they meet a wide range of quirky characters and situations that will make them question themselves, the meaning of their lives and the nature of love.

The film, in itself, is a heartfelt exploration of the human spirit and the characteristics of a modern dysfunctional family. Every character in the movie is quirky, including Bree herself; I mean, this is a woman who dresses like she lived in the 1950's, who's conservative beyond reason, who is the picture of demureness and formality...but who looks and talks like a man and finds her penis like an abhorent hindrance in her development as a woman.

There are some actors who are simply BORN to play a role, and Bree Osbourne is definitely THE character for Felicity Huffman. Ladden under heavy makeup that makes her look like an effeminate man, Huffman has taken this poor soul and made it her own. She inhabits Bree in a way few actors manage to attach themselves to their roles, and it never seems like she's acting. Whenever Bree opens up her soul through the words she says or the looks she gives, we fall in love with her more and more, and no one can do this better than a perfect actress. I wonder why she didn't win the Oscar; she deserved it.

Tucker is also a master at screenwriting. He never mouth-feeds information or emotions at you, and his dialogue (which should, by nature, be corny and melodramatic) is as original and as refreshing as they come. Throughout the film, I kept trying to find flaws or copied material from other films, and there isn't a single one that comes to mind. This film is a TRUE underdog that puts the brilliance of American independent cinema under the spotlight and gives us hope for future films.

Notice a scene where Bree, her son and her family are eating at a restaurant. Notice the simultaneous jolt of poignant drama and hilarious comedy that's mercilessly released upon the audience; your heart is in pain at the events unfolding, and it is with a heavy heart that you laugh out loud. Or notice another scene (the final one, as a matter of fact) where Bree is in her living room with her son; it's a scene sent from heaven, and one can't ask for a more satisfying ending than the one that takes place. Lots of love and care have gone into this movie, and I can't but stare in awe at what I've been able to witness.

I seriously recommend it! Go and see it now; it's never to late to enjoy a modern masterpiece. Rating: 4 stars out of 4!!