The true story of Gwen Araujo, a young trans woman who was brutally murdered by four men in 2002.The true story of Gwen Araujo, a young trans woman who was brutally murdered by four men in 2002.The true story of Gwen Araujo, a young trans woman who was brutally murdered by four men in 2002.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaEddie Araujo took the name "Gwen" for her female identity after Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, her favorite singer.
- GoofsThe defense attorney noted that Joey had punched a wall and broke his hand after Sylvia had told him that Gwen was not really a female. A day or two after Sylvia tells him, a drunken Gwen walks along the fence of the construction site in which Joey was working; Joey walks up to the fence and you can clearly tell that none of his hands looked damaged in any way.
- Quotes
Sylvia Guerrero: [in court, in tears] I don't need you to tell me what society does to people. They beat her for five hours, they tied her up and strangled her, and then they buried her in the field, and then they went and had breakfast in a diner and ate pancakes. And you think that I should excuse them? Shame on you. I blame them! I blame them... every day!
[Sylvia leaves in anger as the whole court claps for her]
- SoundtracksVasilon
Performed by Mangana
Written by Edith Mesch
Courtesy of LoveCat Music
Published by Big Tiger Music (BMI)
Featured review
Heartbreaking story, half-hearted effort
I read about the tragic murder of Gwen Araujo in the news a few years ago when it occurred, and I never imagined a telefilm would be made about her life -- much less helmed by Lifetime.
Unfortunately, this film seems like it was done in a hurry and we never really get to connect with Gwen the way we'd like to. J.D. Pardo is effective in his performance, as is Mercedes Ruehl, but this story required a bit more care in the way it was handled.
One thing that did however move me was Gwen's mother loyalty to her daughter, and how willing she was to accept and understand her. Being gay and Latino is difficult enough (I confess from experience), but I can't imagine how much more complicated it must be for people like Gwen.
You can't expect much from a made-for-television movie, and I didn't expect a lot from this one so I can't really say I was disappointed.
I'd like to see a feature film based on Gwen's life someday. Maybe it would be able to capture her essence in the way she deserves.
Unfortunately, this film seems like it was done in a hurry and we never really get to connect with Gwen the way we'd like to. J.D. Pardo is effective in his performance, as is Mercedes Ruehl, but this story required a bit more care in the way it was handled.
One thing that did however move me was Gwen's mother loyalty to her daughter, and how willing she was to accept and understand her. Being gay and Latino is difficult enough (I confess from experience), but I can't imagine how much more complicated it must be for people like Gwen.
You can't expect much from a made-for-television movie, and I didn't expect a lot from this one so I can't really say I was disappointed.
I'd like to see a feature film based on Gwen's life someday. Maybe it would be able to capture her essence in the way she deserves.
helpful•1712
- ManticoreL7
- Jun 20, 2006
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Just a Girl: The Gwen Araujo Story
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
Top Gap
By what name was A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (2006) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer