TRANSAMERICA
US, 2006, 103 minutes, Colour.
Felicity Huffman, Kevin Zegers, Fionnulla Flanagan, Burt Young, Elizabeth Pena.
Directed by Duncan Tucker.
There is a lot going for this unusual tale about a transsexual man becoming a woman.
Felicity Huffman (one of the Desperate Housewives) won a Golden Globe and was Oscar-nominated for her performance as Bree Osborne, formerly Stanley, who has been fulfilling the requirements of living as a woman and having counselling prior to the operation. With a week to go, she suddenly discovers that she has a teenage son. He is a prostitute in New York City. Her counsellor will not sign the surgery papers until she has resolved the issue with the son.
The film is a road movie, trans America for an American trans. Pretending to be a Christian missionary, Bree bails out the young man but does not reveal the truth. This odd couple drives cross country finishing up at Bree’s parents home in Arizona. The two get to know each other – which, of course, leads to the crisis when the truth is told.
The screenplay is often moving, often funny. Bree is the extreme of cultured ladylike behaviour, very prim. (Later, we see that she has absorbed a lot of this from her demanding mother, Fionnula Flanagan). The boy, Toby (Kevin Zegers) has no moral anchor, drugs and sexual encounters are just routine part of the day. His ambition is to be in the movies – of the porn variety. But, he has an internal sense of what is good and bad, despite past abuse by his stepfather. He could make good. This is what Bree discovers in him. She also has to learn what being a parent could be and what it could mean for her.
As with road movies, they encounter a motley group of characters along the way, generally low-key and without disaster. The time disaster does strike, we are as little prepared for it as they are.
The world of the transsexual trying to live an ordinary life in society is not one that most audiences are familiar with. They would be tempted to back off. But, this is a form of denial. People like Bree have struggled all their lives in ways that those with no identity crisis cannot imagine. Respect and understanding are deserved. Young men like Toby are pushed to the fringe, generally the exploitative and exploited fringe and cannot be ignored either.
The film invites its audience to be not just sympathetic but empathetic, to feel the experiences with the characters, the humdrum experiences, the mistakes as well as the hopes. Writer-director Duncan Tucker has achieved this, aided so much by Felicity Huffman’s convincing performance.
1. An interesting and challenging drama? Themes?
2. The title, the play on America and transsexuals?
3. A road film, from New York to Los Angeles, the quest for the surgery for Bree, the relationship with Toby? The experience of the various states, venues, visits?
4. The credits, the introduction to the characters, situations, behavior? The issue of transsexuals, preparation for surgery?
5. Felicity Huffman, her manner as Bree, the background of her being Stanley? Her visits to Margaret, the discussions, preparing for the surgery, the right time, physically and psychologically? The hormone treatment? The Breest enhancement? Clothes, behaving in a feminine way?
6. Bree and her family, her past, bullied, wanting to be a girl, dominated by her mother, the laid-back father, the sister and the comparisons? Sydney and her drugs? Stanley as a man and his fling, having no knowledge of the woman afterwards, no knowledge that he had a son?
7. The summons to the court, the news about his son? The visit, as representing the church, taking on Toby, taking him out, the meal, grace before meals, the decision to travel, the prospects for a father-son relationship? Bree’s intentions? Capable of fulfilling them?
8. Toby, Kevin Zeger’s performance, age, experience, the story of his mother, her death, the reality of the suicide? His stepfather and the continued abuse? Toby going on the streets, hustling? His friends, drugs? His wondering about his father?
9. The preparation for the trip, the choice of the car? Bree and her decking herself out as a lady, good manners, correcting Toby, not wanting him to use drugs? His denials? The travel, the issue of music? The discussions, Toby’s story, truth and lies? The effect on Bree?
10. The psychologist, the discussions with the Bree, encouraging her, wanting the right time for the surgery, fearing that the trip was hindering her readiness?
11. The travel, the motels, visiting Toby’s home, the kind friend, her help, the visit to the stepfather? Bree learning more about Toby?
12. Toby and his independence, yet his toy and his vulnerability and uncertainty, and Bree bringing it?
13. The visit to her family, Toby having to stay outside, her mother’s reaction to Bree, her father’s? Sydney and the discussions? Memories of the past? Her mother learning the truth about Tony, inviting him in, pampering him, his puzzlement? Going to the restaurant, her mother saving face, the discussions and upset? The final photographs and some peace? The offer for Toby to stay with Bree’s parents?
14. The hitchhiker, nice, discussions, going for the swim, his stealing the car and everything in it? Toby deceiving Bree and picking up the man for money
for sex?
15. Toby and his deciding to leave? His reaction to the truth? His seeing Bree and the toilet, asking questions? Her response?
16. The continuing discussions with the psychologist? Bree’s arrival in Los Angeles, going for the surgery, the experience, the aftermath?
17. Toby in Los Angeles, dying his hair, going to the porn studios, the scenes? His decision to visit Bree?
18. The sexual advance, his thinking that that was what Bree wanted? Bree’s reaction?
19. The truth, upset, acceptance, the possibilities for Toby to live with Bree, the bond between them, the future?
20. A study of human nature, differences and difficulties, struggles and hopes?
