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 | Bail | Psychiatrist | Therapist

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 Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | 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 relieving herself behind the car, she pulls a girdle down on her thighs. When she gets scared by a noise and stands up, the girdle has disappeared entirely.

Quotes:

Elizabeth Osbourne: Look at your life. You've never been able to stick to a decision. I mean, 10 years of college and not a single degree. How do you know you won't change your mind about this, too?
[brief pause]
Bree Osbourne: Because I know.
Elizabeth Osbourne: Don't do this awful thing to yourself, please. I miss my son.
Bree Osbourne: Mom, you never had a son.
Elizabeth Osbourne: [crying] How can you say such a thing?
Bree Osbourne: Now you know how I felt when you hired those private detectives.
Elizabeth Osbourne: [crying] We only tried to do the best for you.
Bree Osbourne: Is that why you tried to have me committed?
Elizabeth Osbourne: [shouting] You tried to kill yourself!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Natalie Portman/Fall Out Boy (#31.13)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

I May Want a Man

Excellent real-life comedy/drama from a different point of view

I saw Transamerica last night at the Tribeca Film Festival and absolutely loved it. I was concerned beforehand that I would not be able to relate to the characters, but that turned out not to be a problem. The acting of Felicity Huffman and Kevin Zegers is done with so much sincerity that I quickly came to care about their characters. Ms. Huffman's performance is one of the best I have seen. Having not seen any of her television or movies, I did not know anything about her. In fact, I thought that she was truly a man playing the part of the transsexual woman. The script was always believable and allowed Ms. Huffman to show some wry humor. The writer/director Duncan Tucker was there to make a few comments answer questions. The only problem is that the film has not yet been picked up by a distributor so if you want to see it (and you should) you may have to find a film festival somewhere.