Giantrobo

When I first saw the title character in the trailer I thought, "Damn!, that looks like a Tranny guy who looks like that chick Felicity Huffman". I guess I was half right. Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of Huffman's but it looks like she may pull off a hell of a role here. Not that a woman playing a man playing a woman is new mind you. Either way I can't wait to see this.

"Transamerica"

NatrlBornThrllr

I caught a screening of it last night. Huffman was great, but something about the film fell flat in my opinion. Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for it...because I can't really put my finger on what it was that left me cold toward the picture. One of my major complaints, though, is the lack of character growth given the film's runtime. The movie is about an epic journey, but in the end, it seems to me that it was all for naught...that rather than leading the characters somewhere new, the road was just one giant loop that eventually dropped them off right where they started (emotionally speaking).

I thought the acting was good (Huffman is astounding in the film, and I'll recommend it on her performance alone), and the writing took a chance on some extremely uncomfortable topics and situations. I'll give it another shot sometime, because on the surface it seems like a very good movie. However, for reasons that I can't quite pin down right now, my first viewing left me a tad underwhelmed.

I will say this much: it's better than most movies that'll hit the theaters this year. Still, I just wasn't blown away. If I see it again, or manage to work out what it was about the film that bothered me, I'll post again. I'd also love to hear the thoughts of others...though I'm not sure when this one gets released...

-JP

Dr. DVD

Trailer looks interesting, though it didn't have me wanting to see it. Huffman seems to give a good performance, but transgenders are something I just find creepy and have trouble sympathizing for. Looks like she is under a bit of make-up for the role, as she looks nothing like the way she does of Housewives. Nice to see Graham Greene again after all these years.

Giantrobo

I don't know, it just looks like it has a lotta "heart". I'm anxious to see it.

RockStrongo

I watched this over the weekend. Interesting movie and kept me entertained.

Very good performance from Huffman, but I just dont know if she really nailed the role (or if she could). I never really saw her as a man and just kept seeing her as a woman playing a trans-sexual.

That being said, I think she would deserve the oscar over Reese Witherspoon. I think her performance was good in Walk the Line, but overrated.

Lots of male nudity in this one too.

joeblow69

You're all heart, Dr. DVD!

DRG

I had the same issue. I really enjoyed the movie, and I still think it was a hell of a performance. But I couldn't disassociate myself from the fact that she was a woman. Actually, the biggest problem I had is that Bree looked almost exactly like Kathy Griffin sans makeup (from her reality show on Bravo).

RockStrongo

Yeah, she had an uphill battle for that one. I really dont know if there was anything she could have done to change that (short of having the operation to be a man )

HAHAHA thats freakin hilarious. I didnt think of that, but she did!

I hate Kathy Griffin.



(and George Lopez for that matter...sorry, just had to include him)

Mr. Cinema

I found a nearby theater that is showing this. I'm gonna watch it this weekend or next.

eXcentris

You do know that this isn't about Brazilian transexuals right?

Frank TJ Mackey

As much as I love Felicity Huffman, this kind of thing just really creeps me out. I'm sure she's great, but I will never see this film.

Giantrobo

The Bus

Isn't Martin Lawrence doing something similar now too?

Duality

At first I thought, "Oh no, not another bad tranny flick." Now, after reading some reviews and hearing mostly positive word-of-mouth I plan to see it.

rkndkn

Just saw this tonight and I thought it was very good. I knew the basic storyline but had never seen the trailer and was surprised to find it much more humorous than I expected. Although certain people in the audience found things amusing right off the bat like Bree frowningly tucking herself away (which I didn't think was meant to be funny.)

The one thing I found a bit out of character was

Daytripper

Hell, Bree looked like Kathy Griffin WITH makeup

Giantrobo

I saw it tonight and I really liked it. There were very funny parts to it and it did have lots heart. Bree's Mom was very funny and Elizabeth Pena still gives me "Hte Hot" after all these years.

gatoinfeliz

I liked it as well and it will be a tragedy if she doesn't get the Oscar. I don't aggree with the lack of character development comment. I find that it tells more about them that way, especially seeing how the movie ended. As if their story has just begun, not ended abruptly.

I actually believed the scene

A quick question:
Dolly Parton is nominated for a song she did for the movie but I don't recall hearing it anywhere in the movie, was it just a standalone track?

Giantrobo

I agree.

I actually believed the scene


Me too. After all,


I believe it played during the end credits. The song talks about what you were talking about earlier in terms of what's going to happen in the future.

gatoinfeliz

Thanks for the info.

Patman

This film has to be one of the more interesting road trips ever put on celluloid. I totally bought Felicity Huffman as a pre-op transgendered woman, named Bree, who suddenly finds out she has a son from a one-time hook-up with a college coed long ago, and travels to New York to bail him out of jail. In a money saving move, she buys a clunker of a station wagon in NY, and drives Toby, her son, back homewards to Los Angeles because he wants to break into show business.

Their journey across America is one of discovery, and imports more significance to the actual journey and not the final destination as a life metaphor. Bree has this quiet wit about her that make her interesting to watch, and how she responds to her son and others on their journey made for some humorous sidebars, but all the while the humanity of her situation is never undermined throughout her journey.

I found it to be a worthwhile filmgoing experience. Being open to change isn't a bad thing.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.

conscience

Saw this tonight and was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't really expecting so many comedic moments - I, as well as the audience, laughed many times throughout. The film's not without its powerful dramatic moments, though. And the transitions from comedy to drama and back again were very compelling and intriguing.

An excellent little film with a fantastic performance by Huffman. Not sure if I want to put her in over Reese, but she had me from her first scene. Loved her crying bit towards the end. Wow.

B+