Transamerica

Oct 17, 2006 10:55

Somewhat belatedly and on DVD, I was able to watch Transamerica. Which turned out to be every bit as fantastic as its reputation. It's at once that arch-American genre, a road movie, and a twist on another arch-American thing: I've sometimes made remarks about the absolute dominance of father-son relationships as subjects in tv and movies and the ( Read more... )

film review, transamerica

Leave a comment

Comments 11

lilacsigil October 17 2006, 09:33:34 UTC
Thank you for this review - I did want to see this movie, because, as you say, it is a swerve away from the regular American road/family bonding movie, but I've really had enough of depressing and dark movies, so I wasn't game to go and see this one in case the humour was cruel or someone ended up bashed to death. Your review sounds open and optimistic, and that's what I was really hoping for. I'll get the DVD now!

Reply

selenak October 17 2006, 17:30:08 UTC
Do see it! Nobody ends up bashed to death, and it's definitely open and optimistic. And it really makes you love the characters and their journey.

Reply


watervole October 17 2006, 10:15:40 UTC
Wow. That sounds like a movie I need to keep an eye out for.

Reply

selenak October 17 2006, 17:31:15 UTC
Rent it, I promise you'll like it!

Reply


wychwood October 17 2006, 11:02:29 UTC
Fionnula Flanagan is made of awesome. She was in one episode of Enterprise (playing a Vulcan ambassador, back in the first season) and she was just fantastic.

This sounds like a good film. I'll have to watch it if I get the chance.

Reply

selenak October 17 2006, 17:34:03 UTC
Do so, absolutely!

Re: Fionnula Flanagan - one of several great things about her performance in The Others is that at first she seems to be a familiar archetype - the sinister housekeeper - and then, after the big revelation, you see her motives and actions in a very different light, and when you watch the movie a second time, you see her performance had already all the clues one needs...

Here, in Transamerica, her role, too, could easily have been caricature, but isn't, and she's the closest thing the movie has to an antagonist. Great actress.

Reply


buffyannotater October 17 2006, 15:29:42 UTC
I love Reese Witherspoon, but I was kind of furious at the Academy for giving her hte Oscar instead of Felicity Huffman. Because she got the award basically for impressing people with the fact that she could sing, whereas Felicity underwent such a complete transformation in the film (and it wasn't just the makeup) that it was astounding. Bree was one of the best performances I've ever seen, and as skillful as Reese was in Walk the Line, it just doesn't compare, acting-wise.

Reply

selenak October 17 2006, 17:28:30 UTC
Agreed. Reese Witherspoon was delightful as June Carter, but F.H. as Bree was awe-inspiring.

Reply


vilakins October 17 2006, 21:11:47 UTC
Oh, I've looking forward to that one. If I've missed it here, I'll have to get it on DVD. I've been impressed with her acting in Desperate Housewives; she's the only one of them who could pull off a real acting job like this.

Reply

selenak October 18 2006, 09:59:59 UTC
I've seen the pilot of Desperate Housewives and one or two episodes, and I didn't recognize her. I mean, I knew she was acting in both before I watched Transamerica, but I still didn't recognize her. It's more than makeup etc., it's a genuine transformation into another person. Amazing.

Reply

vilakins October 18 2006, 19:27:48 UTC
That's true acting. A lot of people just play variations of themselves.

Reply


Leave a comment

Up