Transamerica (film)
Transamerica | |
---|---|
Directed by | Duncan Tucker |
Written by | Duncan Tucker |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Stephen Kazmierski |
Edited by | Pam Wise |
Music by | David Mansfield |
Production company | Belladonna Productions |
Distributed by | |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 103 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1 million |
Box office | $15.2 million |
Transamerica is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Duncan Tucker, and starring Felicity Huffman and Kevin Zegers. Released by IFC Films and The Weinstein Company,[2] the film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2005, and to theaters in the United States on December 2, 2005.
The screenplay, inspired in part by conversations between Tucker and his then roommate Katherine Connella,[3][4] tells the story of Bree (Huffman), a trans woman, who goes on a road trip with her long-lost son Toby (Zegers).
The film received positive reviews and won multiple awards, including Huffman winning a Golden Globe and a nomination for an Academy Award.
Plot
One week before her
Bree flies from
After their car and money are stolen by a young hitchhiking
Some months later, Bree is surprised to see Toby at her front door. Bree invites him inside and he tells her that in the meantime he has turned 18; he has bleached his hair blonde, and has become an adult actor in gay pornographic films in Los Angeles. Bree is also vibrant, happy, and enjoying her job as a waitress at the restaurant where she was formerly a busser; she has also dyed her hair blonde and now wears more colorful clothes. Bree and Toby reconcile, seemingly happy to have each other.
Cast
- Felicity Huffman as Bree
- Kevin Zegers as Toby, Bree's son
- Graham Greene as Calvin
- Fionnula Flanagan as Elizabeth Schupak, Bree's mom
- Burt Young as Murray, Bree's dad
- Carrie Preston as Sydney, Bree's sister
- Elizabeth Peña as Margaret, Bree's psychiatrist
- Venida Evans as Arletty
- Teala Dunn as "little girl"
- Calpernia Addams as Calpernia
- Stella Maeve as Taylor
- Raynor Scheine as Bobby Jensen, Toby's step-father
- Danny Burstein as Dr. Spikowsky
- Andrea James as the voice coach
Production
In reference to her nude scene in the bathtub, Felicity Huffman said there was supposed to be a lot more bubbles, but because they were 'a little indie running a day late and a dollar short', they tried dish detergent and other things but there was not the time to do something else, so she was more exposed than anticipated."[6]
Soundtrack
The
Critical reception
The film received generally positive reviews. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 77% of critics gave Transamerica positive reviews, based on 145 reviews, and an average rating of 6.79/10, with the consensus that "a terrific performance by Felicity Huffman carries this unconventional but touching transgender road movie."[7] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 66 out of 100, based on 37 reviews.[8]
Film critic Roger Ebert stated that "Felicity Huffman brings great empathy and tact to her performance as Bree."[9]
Nominations and awards
- Independent Spirit Awards
- Won – Best Female Lead (Felicity Huffman)
- Won – Best First Screenplay (Duncan Tucker)
- Nominated – Best First Feature – (Duncan Tucker, Sebastian Dungan, Linda Moran, Rene Bastian)
- Academy Awards
- Nominated – Best Actress (Felicity Huffman)
- Nominated – Best Original Song (Dolly Parton, for the song "Travelin' Thru")
- Berlin International Film Festival
- Won – Reader Jury of the Siegessäule
- Broadcast Film Critics Association
- Nominated – Best Actress (Felicity Huffman)
- Nominated – Best Song (Dolly Parton, for the song "Travelin' Thru")
- Deauville Film Festival
- Won – Best Screenplay (Duncan Tucker)
- Nominated – Grand Special Prize
- GLAAD Media Awards
- Won – Outstanding Film – Limited Release
- Golden Globe Awards
- Won – Best Actress in a Drama (Felicity Huffman)
- Nominated – Best Original Song (Dolly Parton, for the song "Travelin' Thru")
- National Board of Review
- Won – Best Actress (Felicity Huffman)
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards 2005
- Won – Best Original Song (Dolly Parton, for the song "Travelin' Thru")
- Satellite Awards
- Won – Best Actress (Felicity Huffman)
- Screen Actors Guild Award
- Nominated – Best Actress in a Lead Role (Felicity Huffman)
- Tribeca Film Festival
- Won – Best Actress (Felicity Huffman)
- Cannes Film Festival 2006
- Won (Chopard Trophy) – Male Revelation Kevin Zegers
- San Diego Film Festival 2005
- Won – Best Actress (Felicity Huffman)[10]
Home media
The film was released on DVD on May 23, 2006, in North America. There are no plans for a North American Blu-ray release for it yet. However, the Blu-ray was released in Italy.
In popular culture
The film is referenced in the comedy film Knocked Up, when the character of Jason admits that he was attracted to Huffman, stating that ever since he saw Transamerica, he can't get her out of his mind.
See also
- Different for Girls (1996)
- List of transgender characters in film and television
References
- ^ "Transamerica (15)". British Board of Film Classification. January 16, 2006. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
- ^ Scott, A. O. (December 2, 2005). "A Complex Metamorphosis of the Most Fundamental Sort". The New York Times.
- ^ Connella, Katherine (February 28, 2006). "Transamerica and Me". The Advocate: 50. via Google Books
- ISBN 9781429971980. via Google Books
- ^ "Films set, or filmed in, the Catskills". Catskill Mountainkeeper. Youngsville, New York. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
Parts of the movie Transamerica (2005) starring Felicity Huffman were filmed in Callicoon, NY though in the movie it's referred to as Callicoon, KY
- ^ "THE TRANSFORMATION OF FELICITY HUFFMAN". www.popentertainment.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
- ^ "Transamerica Movie Reviews, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
- ^ "Transamerica (2005): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "Transamerica movie review & film summary (2006) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ "san diego film festival 2007: award winners". July 3, 2007. Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
External links
- Transamerica at IMDb
- Transamerica at the TCM Movie Database
- Transamerica at AllMovie
- Transamerica at Rotten Tomatoes
- Transamerica at Metacritic
- Transamerica at Box Office Mojo