A Fantastic Woman * * * *
The only problem with this lovingly made, well acted, film is that the story is far from uniqe to a Transgender person. Anyone in the same situation - man or woman - cis or trans - straight or gay - could have had the same experience.
So, although we feel for Marina, there is very little about her burden that is peculiar to a Trans person. Even a physical assault she experiences is in response to her actions rather than her sexuality, despite her assailants verbal denigration.
Marina is in a relationship with an older man, Orlando. He is divorced and his children have grown up, so it's not as though he is "cheating". Although they have never met her, Orlando's family not only know of Marina, but they also know she is Transgender. They are quite confused by Orlando's attraction to her.
Then Orlando unexpectedly dies - that's not a spoiler, it's in every blurb and in the trailer - (a lot of his scenes are in flashback). Marina must now deal with Orlando's family and a police investigation.
The police investigation struck me as rather odd but given the condition of Orlando's body when Marina took him to the hospital, somewhat understandable.
What Marina has to endure from both the Police investigation and Orlando's family is humiliating and degrading. But again I have to ask, would it be different for anyone else in her position?
If the purpose of A Fantastic Woman was to show the plight of the Transgender person and the prejudice they might personally endure, then a different story was needed. In this story she is primarily the victim of an embittered, insensitive, somewhat avaricious, grieving family who probably would have responded the same to anyone who'd been having an affair with Orlando at the time of his death.
Nevertheless this is a good film and a good story which features a very fine actor (who happens to be Transgender) in the main role. She sings like an Angel too.
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| Emotions stirred but this ain't no Crying Game. |
Marina is in a relationship with an older man, Orlando. He is divorced and his children have grown up, so it's not as though he is "cheating". Although they have never met her, Orlando's family not only know of Marina, but they also know she is Transgender. They are quite confused by Orlando's attraction to her.
Then Orlando unexpectedly dies - that's not a spoiler, it's in every blurb and in the trailer - (a lot of his scenes are in flashback). Marina must now deal with Orlando's family and a police investigation.
The police investigation struck me as rather odd but given the condition of Orlando's body when Marina took him to the hospital, somewhat understandable.
What Marina has to endure from both the Police investigation and Orlando's family is humiliating and degrading. But again I have to ask, would it be different for anyone else in her position?
If the purpose of A Fantastic Woman was to show the plight of the Transgender person and the prejudice they might personally endure, then a different story was needed. In this story she is primarily the victim of an embittered, insensitive, somewhat avaricious, grieving family who probably would have responded the same to anyone who'd been having an affair with Orlando at the time of his death.
Nevertheless this is a good film and a good story which features a very fine actor (who happens to be Transgender) in the main role. She sings like an Angel too.
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