Transamerica (2005)

A preoperative transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she fathered a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.

Director:

Duncan Tucker

Writer:

Duncan Tucker

Stars:

Felicity Huffman, Kevin Zegers, Fionnula Flanagan

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 32 wins & 24 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andrea James	...	Voice Coach
Felicity Huffman	...	Bree
Danny Burstein	...	Dr. Spikowsky
Maurice Orozco	...	Fernando
Elizabeth Peña	...	Margaret
Craig Bockhorn	...	Sergeant
Paul Borghese	...	New York City Cop
Kevin Zegers	...	Toby
Jon Budinoff	...	Alex
Venida Evans	...	Arletty
Raynor Scheine	...	Bobby Jensen
Kate Bayley	...	Tennessee Waitress
Stella Maeve	...	Taylor
Teala Dunn	...	Little Girl
Jim Frangione	...	Taylor's Father

Storyline

Southern Californian Bree Osbourne, formerly Stanley Chupak, has finally received the news for which she has been waiting: she has been approved for male-to-female sexual reassignment surgery. But before Margaret, her therapist, will allow her to go through with the surgery scheduled in a week's time, Bree has to deal with an unresolved problem from her past. Bree gets a telephone call from a seventeen year old man named Toby Wilkins, who is looking for Stanley, his biological father. Toby is in a New York jail, having been supporting himself by petty crime and hustling. Stanley/Bree knew nothing about Toby before the telephone call. Toby apparently is all alone in the world, with his mother having committed suicide and being estranged from his stepfather in Tennessee. Masquerading as a Christian social worker, Bree, not telling him either of her true identity or her transgender status, bails Toby out of jail and tells him she will take him to Los Angeles, where Toby has aspirations ...

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Plot Keywords:

road movie | transsexual | sex change | transgender | transgender protagonist | 

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Taglines:

Life is a journey. Bring an open mind.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Bac Films [France] Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

3 March 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Transamerica

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$46,908, 4 December 2005

Gross USA:

$9,015,303

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,151,744

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belladonna Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Not knowing the film would be such a success, most of the wardrobe and props were donated to charity and thrift stores after production wrapped.

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Goofs

In the wide shot of the first scene in the car, as Brie tells Toby to "take his feet off the dash," the camera truck can be seen in the reflection on their car.

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Quotes

Toby: You're gonna cut your dick off for Jesus?
Bree Osbourne: They don't "cut it off!" It just becomes an innie instead of an outtie.

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Crazy Credits

For all people of trans experience, For all people of any experience, and For my family.

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Connections

Featured in 'Transamerica': Felicity Becomes Bree (2007)

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Soundtracks

Silent Night
Written by Franz Xaver Gruber (as Franz Xaver Gruber) and Joseph Mohr (Traditional)
Performed by Tish Hinojosa
Courtesy of Texas Music Group / Watermelon Records

User Reviews

A Touching Film with an Oscar-Worthy Performance

This was my favorite film of the Tribeca festival. Felicity Huffman's performance is incredible and grabs you from the first scene. It was a smart, poignant and funny film. Some of the characters are too thinly drawn, some of the humor too inappropriately broad but those were minor issues for me. Though rooted in some ways in standard plot devices, the transgender protagonist makes all the difference in the world. Which, in a way, is kind of the point -- how we view people's differences (with acceptance or disdain) says a lot about who we are. Of course, it played well here in New York City. But what about the rest of Bush's America? By the way, I was told that Lions Gate picked up the film for distribution.