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Transamerica By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- At its heart, "Transamerica" (Weinstein) explores familiar themes of family bonds, interpersonal connection and parent-child dysfunction, but with an unconventional and morally problematic twist: The parent here is a preoperative transsexual man. Best known for her role in ABC's prime-time soap "Desperate Housewives," Felicity Huffman stars as Stanley "Bree" Osbourne, a California man who anxiously wants to be a woman. Though having already taken steps to appear more female -- dressing as a prim woman, affecting a more effete voice, and taking daily doses of estrogen -- Stanley has not yet undergone the operation that will complete his anatomical metamorphosis. On the eve of his "sex reassignment" procedure, he has a bomb dropped on him: While in college, he unknowingly sired a son, Toby (Kevin Zegers), now an angry teen runaway working as a street hustler who was arrested in New York on drug charges. On the advice of his psychologist (Elizabeth Pena), who will not sign off on his surgery until he resolves his issues with the boy, Stanley flies to New York and posts bail, keeping his paternal identity secret by posing as a Christian do-gooder. The two hit the road and head west, Stanley intending to unload Toby -- whose mother has died -- with the boy's stepfather in Kentucky (from whom, unbeknown to Stanley, Toby has fled). But Toby has other plans; he wants to go to Hollywood and break into porno films while tracking down his biological dad, unaware how close he is to his goal. Much melodrama ensues as the two warm up to each other while driving cross-country, eventually winding up on the doorstep of Stanley's disapproving parents (Burt Young and Fionnula Flanagan), whom Toby, of course, has no idea are his grandparents. Huffman delivers a credible and emotionally textured performance, conveying Stanley's deep sense of anguish and confusion with honesty and pathos. Resembling a darker-haired Leonardo DiCaprio, Zegers more than holds up his side of the two-character equation. Director Duncan Tucker soberly handles the sensitive subject matter with humanity and a fair degree of delicacy and humor. But the film's affirmative depiction of transsexualism is unequivocally incompatible with church teachings on human sexuality and gender identity. Furthermore, Stanley's sex-switching procedure conflicts with Catholic proscriptions against "directly intended amputations, mutilations or sterilizations" spelled out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Far from disordered, Stanley's decision is shown as a positive and healthy step toward self-actualization. In normalizing Stanley's "gender dysphoria," Tucker sheds scant light on the conflux of underlying emotional and psychological issues that lead to Stanley's sexual alienation. Assuming a tone of advocacy, Tucker gives transsexualism not only legitimacy but divine sanction by having Stanley declare that "Jesus made me this way, so I could suffer and be reborn like he was." Those who disagree with Stanley's gender gymnastics are relegated to the ghetto of stereotypes, populated by the ignorant (represented by pre-enlightened Toby) or the intolerant and narrow-minded (embodied by Stanley's unsupportive mother, a conservative Christian). Beyond a subject-matter which many will find highly unpalatable, two scenes in particular may arch eyebrows. The first involves a "Crying Game" moment when Stanley's anatomical "secret" is exposed while urinating. Less dramatically justifiable and more uncomfortable to watch is a scene in which Toby -- unaware of the incestuous implications -- offers himself to Stanley. (The overture is consistent with his emotionally scarred character, who seems incapable of expressing affection in any way but sexual.) The film's title is open to multiple interpretations: the journey "trans" America; the transsexual leitmotif; and Stanley's transformation from self-absorption to caring responsibility. Still, while "Transamerica" effectively argues for tolerance and compassion, the film's thesis that sexuality is malleable is untenable from a Catholic perspective. As its tagline observes, "life is more than the sum of its parts." True enough. However, merely altering those parts doesn't change who we are on a deeper level. The film contains a sympathetic portrayal of transsexuality, a homosexual encounter and other gay plot elements, rear and frontal nudity, drug content, a crass scene of urination, as well as recurring rough and sexually crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. END Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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