Emmy® winner Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) won the Best Actress (Drama) Golden Globe® Award for her "fiercely funny and deeply powerful" performance (Pete Hammond, Maxim) that is "thrilling to watch." (A.O. Scott, The New York Times) Huffman plays Bree Osbourne, a conservative transsexual woman, who learns she is the parent of a long-lost 17-year-old son (Kevin Zegers). The wheels of fortune take Bree and son on a cross-country adventure, including a memorable visit with Bree's parents, that will change both of their lives. A funny, touching, completely original look at the modern American family, "TRANSAMERICA will leave you in a state of movie euphoria. It's hilarious and deeply affecting." (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal. "Felicity Huffman is incredible. One of the year's most unforgettable performances." -Stephen Mooallem, Interview
Felicity Huffman deserves every award she's received for her outstanding performance in Transamerica, a small but rich movie about Bree--formerly Stanley--a pre-operative male-to-female transexual awaiting gender-reassignment surgery who learns she has a wayward teenage son named Toby. When her therapist (Elizabeth Peña, Jacob's Ladder) strongarms Bree into facing her past, she bails Toby (Kevin Zegers, Dawn of the Dead) out of jail and they end up on a road trip across the country. Such a premise could feel forced, but the script and performances make it persuasive and natural. Bree wrestles with discomfort and compassion as she learns about Toby's own troubles, even while her own grow worse when she's forced to ask for help from her hostile parents (the superb Fionnula Flanagan, The Others, and Burt Young, Rocky). Transamerica doesn't push for any great catharsis, but instead slowly peels away the layers of Bree's defenses, laying bare her basic struggle for respect and a chance at happiness. In many ways it's a showy role, but Huffman (Desperate Housewives) keeps her acting simple, direct, and thoroughly compelling. --Bret Fetzer
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Fantastic Film! Incredible performances!:
I've had my own prejudices of the transgendered world, and it's not hate, just more not getting it or understanding why someone would want to change their gender, on a personal note could never comprehend that. Gay is one thing, that's fine, you're attracted to who your attracted to, whatever, it's cool, that's understandable, but transgender is something else and has nothing to do with that. It's a whole new level. With that said, I was hesitant to watching this film because of the content, but I'm glad I... more info
DUNCAN TUCKER, OPUS 1:
*** 2005. Written and directed by Duncan Tucker. Two Academy awards nominations (song and actress) and Golden Globe earned by Felicity Huffman. A transsexual, on the verge of being operated must drive across the U.S. in the company of his son, a juvenile delinquent. Clichés and clichés. The redeeming and edifying road movie is a common theme of American cinema; just think, for instance about Don Siegel's Two Mules For Sister Sara (cowboy and nun) or Barry Levinson's Rain Man (Special Edition)... more info
Great Road Trip Film:
I was really prepared not to like this film as I have grown tired of Felicity Huffman's pathetic overacting on "Desperate Housewives, " but in this quiet, affecting road trip film she underplays beautifully and accomplishes more by acting less. As Bree, the conflicted pre-op transsexual, Ms. Huffman lowers her voice an octave and wears heavy makeup to make her character authentic. I did think throwing every family dysfunction in the mix was a bit much, but Bree's relationship with her parents who called her... more info
Good movie, misleading title:
When I first heard about this I thought it was going to be some sort of documentary on trans people in the US. Last night I watched it with a friend when it came on Lifetime and was pleasantly surprised. I think the title could also have been more descriptive of the actual plot. This movie's depictions of both a transgender person, their family and a sexually abused teenage boy was all very accurate and well done. The movie makers didn't seem afraid to go anywhere, and pulled off intense dramatic moments as... more info
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