TransAmerica

From the NY Times: To call Felicity Huffman's performance in "Transamerica" persuasive would be an understatement, as well as somewhat misleading. Her character, Bree (short for Sabrina), is a pre-operative transsexual who lives in Los Angeles and in a condition she refers to as "stealth." In other words, though still technically male, Bree passes for a woman, though there is nothing very stealthy about her almost theatrical displays of femininity. In this debut feature by Duncan Tucker, who wrote and directed it, "Transamerica" sets out to affirm Bree's dignity, to liberate her and others like her from any association with camp or freakishness. That the film succeeds without slipping too far into sentimentality or didacticism is in no small measure the result of Ms. Huffman's wit and grace. Her performance is a complex metamorphosis, and it is thrilling to watch. "Transamerica" itself does not always live up to its star, but it is touching and sometimes funny, despite its overall air of indie earnestness. Mr. Tucker is a subtle and conscientious writer; he takes care to treat Bree as a person rather than a case study. — A. O. Scott, The New York Times 2005 103 minutes I finally saw this movie. It is sensitively produced, funny, and a great introduction to this subject -- well worth seeing. Availability: Netflix