Transamerica (2005)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Duncan Tucker

Writer:

Duncan Tucker (writer)

Release Date:

10 February 2006 (Denmark)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Life is more than the sum of its parts.

Plot:

A pre-operative male-to-female transsexual takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she fathered a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.

Plot Keywords:

Sex Change | Transsexual | Therapist | Bail | Psychiatrist

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 26 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Andrea James	...	Voice Coach
Felicity Huffman	...	Bree
Danny Burstein	...	Dr. Spikowsky
Maurice Orozco	...	Fernando
Elizabeth Peña	...	Margaret
Craig Bockhorn	...	Sergeant
Paul Borghese	...	New York City Cop
Kevin Zegers	...	Toby
Jon Budinoff	...	Alex
Venida Evans	...	Arletty
Raynor Scheine	...	Bobby Jensen
Kate Bayley	...	Tennessee Waitress
Stella Maeve	...	Taylor
Teala Dunn	...	Little Girl
Jim Frangione	...	Taylor's Father

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language and drug use.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | UK:15 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:16 (theatrical rating) | Netherlands:MG6 | Malaysia:18PL | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:R21 | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:12 | Canada:18A | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Argentina:16 | China:(Banned) | Japan:R-15 | Brazil:14 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | France:U (with warning) | South Korea:18 | Chile:14 | Ireland:15 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Belladonna Productions

Trivia:

Many scenes involve improvisation. The scene where the characters are riding in the car towards sunset is one of them: the director asked Felicity Huffman to start poking Kevin Zegers in the stomach and shoulder. Kevin Zegers stayed in character, and the director liked the result.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bree is watching Calvin play a song on his guitar, his fingers never touch the guitar, the strings don't move at all.

Quotes:

Calvin: [when Bree coughs after drinking mescal] That'll put hair on your chest.
Bree Osbourne: [clasps hands as if praying] Hope not.
[laughs]

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2006 Glitter Awards (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

He Will Carry You Through

People who might really exist

TRANSAMERICA is a film where you meet people who might really exist. And real people are not only great or terrible, they are mostly both. It is the acting and the dialog which makes all the difference. The film offers a blueprinted storyline of two people who don't know each other traveling together across the US, from NY to LA. Memories of MIDNIGHT RUN and RAIN MAN do come up once in a while. But still this is everything but a Hollywood product. The main character is a Transsexual named Bree, born as a man but living the past few years as a woman, only days before her operation which will definitely make her a woman. That subject and, the fact, that the role is played by an actress signifies a very different approach to the old gender questions. The film offers funny moments too, but never makes fun about a man, wanting to be a woman. The film is very subtle, and it is really a pity when it is finally over. It displays very well that great stories don't require great budgets to make great films! 9 out of 10!