First of all: This is Suzanne Clement's film! As far as I know I have never before seen this amazing actress, who turned out to be the gem in this actually quite uneven movie. It's her I remember, and her I tell my friends about.
Being a transsexual woman myself – and author of the acclaimed book "TransActions" - I was curious to see how Xavier Dolan had managed to turn this delicate subject matter into a praised movie – not least since my transsexualism was what eventually caused the breakup from my wife of almost thirty-five years. Undeniably it's a very good movie, and Laurence's pain and anguish brought back memories I could have done without – but there are angles I don't understand.
Having been in & out of the trans world since 1971 I have met numerous transvestites and transsexuals - and I have yet to see a man trying to pose as a woman with his usual male hair-cut; Make-up, a skirt, women's shoes – and male hair. Also – to suddenly go to work as a woman, without having told neither his colleagues nor his totally unprepared pupils. How smart is that? No wonder it didn't really work out.
A couple of the other reviewers mentioned the fact that handsome Melvil Poupaud turned into a not all that convincing woman. At first it bothered me as well, but with this being quite a common situation among transsexuals it actually added a realistic touch to the film. Regrettably this was effectively ruined when a woman interviewer with obvious warmth compliments Laurence on what a beautiful woman he is.
"He"? I guess this is my most substantial objection: Poupaud never managed to convince me that Laurence really is a woman. This is not a matter of looks but something you project, and I have met much more masculine looking trans women who are readily accepted as females at work and in society because this is what they "feel" like.
An amazing example of such projection in a movie is Felicity Huffman's stunning performance as male to female Bree, in Duncan Tucker's Transamerica. Even beautifully dressed as woman, she manages to convince me that behind the clothes she's still biologically a man.
Regrettably I have also met transsexual women like Laurence, who never really stop behaving like men - and who demand to be accepted and loved without even a trace of understanding for the feelings of those around them. My lasting impression is that this might actually be what the film's title hints at.
PS Don't you ever forget: Suzanne Clement is altogether lovely as Laurence's girlfriend Fred!
Being a transsexual woman myself – and author of the acclaimed book "TransActions" - I was curious to see how Xavier Dolan had managed to turn this delicate subject matter into a praised movie – not least since my transsexualism was what eventually caused the breakup from my wife of almost thirty-five years. Undeniably it's a very good movie, and Laurence's pain and anguish brought back memories I could have done without – but there are angles I don't understand.
Having been in & out of the trans world since 1971 I have met numerous transvestites and transsexuals - and I have yet to see a man trying to pose as a woman with his usual male hair-cut; Make-up, a skirt, women's shoes – and male hair. Also – to suddenly go to work as a woman, without having told neither his colleagues nor his totally unprepared pupils. How smart is that? No wonder it didn't really work out.
A couple of the other reviewers mentioned the fact that handsome Melvil Poupaud turned into a not all that convincing woman. At first it bothered me as well, but with this being quite a common situation among transsexuals it actually added a realistic touch to the film. Regrettably this was effectively ruined when a woman interviewer with obvious warmth compliments Laurence on what a beautiful woman he is.
"He"? I guess this is my most substantial objection: Poupaud never managed to convince me that Laurence really is a woman. This is not a matter of looks but something you project, and I have met much more masculine looking trans women who are readily accepted as females at work and in society because this is what they "feel" like.
An amazing example of such projection in a movie is Felicity Huffman's stunning performance as male to female Bree, in Duncan Tucker's Transamerica. Even beautifully dressed as woman, she manages to convince me that behind the clothes she's still biologically a man.
Regrettably I have also met transsexual women like Laurence, who never really stop behaving like men - and who demand to be accepted and loved without even a trace of understanding for the feelings of those around them. My lasting impression is that this might actually be what the film's title hints at.
PS Don't you ever forget: Suzanne Clement is altogether lovely as Laurence's girlfriend Fred!