The stars seemed to be in alignment for me to dislike Transamerica. For one thing, it's a road movie. For another, it had the reputation of being a Clever Comedy. For a third, it's a comedy about a subject that's not that inherently funny. But in one of my happier cinematic surprises in recent memory, I found the film to be quite pleasant, although I still think it got more attention than it deserved.
The movie is about a Los Angeles biological male about to undergo a transsexual operation. For the sake of connivance, I will refer to Bree (Felicity Huffman) in the feminine vernacular. Days before the schedule procedure, she receives a phone call from a teenager named Toby (Kevin Zeggers), who is looking for his biological father, and Bree is mortified to learn that he is a product of her one and only sexual encounter. She tries to put Toby out of her mind until her psychologist (Elizabeth Pena) refuses to permit Bree to go through the operation until she meets with and comes to term with her son. Desperate, she flies to New York and meets Toby, a male prostitute and drug user. Not able to reveal her true identity, Bree poses as a Jesus freak who will give him a trip to LA out of charity.
Anyone who has ever seen a road movie will not be surprised to learn that there is going to be some lessons learned and hardcore bonding on the road trip. But somehow, the movie is entertaining through its clichés. This is largely due to the Huffman's performance. I never really believer her as a biological male, but I really like Bree and her sardonic wit. Huffman (who was nominated for an Oscar) also has great chemistry with Zeggers, who shares his father/mother's stubbornness.
The movie avoids being a Clever Comedy because screenwriter and director Duncan Hunter genuinely likes and never condescends his characters. There's never the feeling of superiority we get in Rushmore or Little Miss Sunshine. That doesn't mean the movie is completely flawless- Bree's mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is so over the top that it feels like she's from another movie, and I didn't buy the ending, which in which Kevin does something that, based on his nature, he would never do. Transamerica is not a great movie but it's pleasant diversion with some very endearing characters.
Transamerica (2005)