StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

aarosedi Felicity Huffman pulled a major coup in playing the role of a male character awaiting his sexual reassignment surgery to bring him into womanhood who then discovers that he has a teenage son born out of his only ever collegiate hetero fling. Her performance was compelling in exhibiting the delicacy and quirkiness that made for such an endearing and memorable character...

mbrace394 11121585 I had to watch this film for a university class and was very surprised how much I liked it. The film did a fantastic job of showing the main character Bree's development throughout the film as she becomes ready to finally complete her surgery. At the beginning of the film in her therapy session, Bree's psychologist tells her that gender dysphoria is a serious mental disorder that Bree questions, by saying it is a disorder that she can cure with plastic surgery. Bree relates the contradiction that exists between gender dysphoria and a cure. A serious mental disorder, as the psychologist deemed Bree's condition to be, is something that is very rarely able to be cured; it is inherent. The person living with a mental disorder will most likely live with it for the entirety of their life. However, Bree challenges the stigma of gender dysphoria with stating that a surgical repair can cure her of her distress. I think this film did an excellent job of portraying just how different gender dysphoria is compared to a mental disorder. By placing gender dysphoria under the mental disorder stigma, society maintains the bi-gendered system; stating that if one is born female, they must remain and identify as a female and vice versa with those born male. This film does an excellent job of depicting the struggles and challenges a trans gendered person may go through on their journey to "cure" themselves, and gives the main character the fairytale ending everyone hopes for. Bree is finally able to be transformed into the "woman" she so desperately wants to be, and the audience is able to observe her as truly happy with her transformation and seemingly "cured" of the distress she exhibited at the beginning of the film once again slamming the door on gender dysphoria being a mental disorder.

eric262003 Felicity Huffman turns in one of the most complex and engaging performances I've seen in a long time as Sabrina "Bree" Osbourne, a transsexual who's down to her final stages of her final operation as she's about to lose the man jewels as she is finally rid of the horrid past she encountered when she was a man named Stanley. It's a misnomer to some who think that this is a goofy zany comedy film, or a preachy film about the trials and tribulations of becoming transsexual. It is a vulgar satire that uplifts the dramatic elements from the obstacles of the plot and the surprising outcomes that manifest at the principal elements as the movie progresses.In his directorial debut, Duncan Tucker has took on the classic road movie to a new direction that pits Bree and her re-acquaintance with the son she only once fathered. Toby is a juvenile homeless kid who is the biological son of the former Stanley who was once in a relationship with his recently deceased mother. Bree and Toby embark on a cross-country journey from New York to Los Angeles. Sure people might scoff by saying that this is another cross-country road movie. But if you look into the movie beyond the surface, it's really about a journey of a man trying to adapt into womanhood and the hardships it is in trying to adjust to the new life that has become of Bree.Tucker cleverly uses Bree's dreadful occupation as a telemarketer as a symbol of the obstacles Stanley faced during his quest of becoming a woman and Huffman utilizes her character's vulnerable traits and stiff posture. Sure it looked like open field for comical farce, but her acting it pitch perfect and takes her training and regiments very seriously which is all very believable. With the help from Jason Hayes (wig designer) we get to see the gradual physical molding of a man turn woman right before our very eyes and the fear of Bree returning to her old alter ego.The supporting cast backs Huffman up nicely. Young Kevin Zegers was accurate as the poor young confused misunderstood soul Toby who's oblivious that his father is now a mother and that Bree cowardly lied to Toby saying she was a church missionary when really she's really his biological father. Elizabeth Pena of "Lone Star" fame was sublime as Bree's strong-opinioned therapist. Graham Greene ("Dances With Wolves") was in top form as Bree's suitor Calvin Manygoats. And the scene-stealing comes from Bree's parents played by Bert Young and Fionnula Flanagan who are in perpetual denial over their son's life-rendering decision.Along with the parents, Carrie Preston as Bree's sister Sidney make the perfect dysfunctional family comedy foil as they easily go into Bree's self-loathing which is par for the course in most families who try to deal with problems. The film sporadically shifts into being overly sentimental tear-jerker and instead Tucker focuses more on the comedy elements and the absurd scenes that follow. This is a film worthy of its accolades and I'm sure you'll enjoy it too.

swamprat_21 Last week a family getting ready to move gave my wife and I a bag of books and a few films. One of the films was Transamerica. I glanced at the front and back and through "Hmmm, I didn't I know Mrs. H. was into weird movies". A few nights later my wife and I decided to give the film a try. The film was great, we're so tired of the same old Hollywood stuff, action, special effects, top dollar actors who could care less about the characters. The film captured us in the very beginning, we both empathized with Bree, understood her struggle, pain, and basic desire to be herself. The road trip was a great part of the film. I enjoyed the Calvin Manygoats and the meeting with her parents (the mom was great). I grew uncomfortable with Toby's desire to have sex with his biological father, as well as the tryst with the trucker, but this was an intergral part of the story and the film was very realistic. I learned a lot about the struggle and pain that these people have in life, it made me more accepting of their lives. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a good story, exceptional acting, and good dialog. It's a very good film.