copperbeech: blog 
copperbeech's blog
film ~ transamerica
Published Dec 27, 2007
I loved this film. Just when Bree thinks she is set to have her M-to-F surgery, she discovers she has a teenaged son she knew nothing of, the greater snag being that he's gotten himself in trouble and needs bailing out immediately. At the risk of interfering with her surgery date she travels cross country to deal with her son, only to find that he has no one, is deeply troubled and has some dangerously skewed perspectives on his self-worth and life. While the pitfalls of her adventure are somewhat predictable, the crux of the story deals with Bree making decisions around putting herself first after a lifetime of catering to the expectations of the world around her, reaching out to someone who isn't sure he wants help, and having to bear the cruelty and prejudice of her own parents to accomplish all of the above.
The widespread cultural assumptions of third gender people being oversexed and heretically life path inclined are dealt with head-on in TransAmerica. In contradiction to the popular myths, Duncan, the film's writer, puts an incredibly personal spin on Bree, creating her as the insecure and eternally hopeful soul one might realistically imagine many who feel biologically displaced to be. Felicity Huffman's stellar performance as the very subdued Bree only gives more credence to her quiet need to create balance in her life the one way that feels completely right to her. The hallmark of this film is that regardless what branch of the gender tree you grow on, we all go through much of the same life experiences. We all have to make selfish and selfless choices around dealing with someone who is destitute. We all have to decide how much influence our parents have over our life choices. We all have to decide whom we allow to see our deepest fears and ambitions, forsaking the rest that would threaten them. This film has sadness and humor and a whole lot of reality check.
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