Bree Osbourne, formerly Stanley Osbourne, is a preoperative male-to-female transsexual who was unaware that she fathered a son when she was a male college student.
In "Transamerica," Bree goes to New York to bail her son Toby out of jail because her therapist won't sign the papers allowing her to undergo the final operation to become a full-fledged woman until she reconciles her past.
She and her newfound son Toby end up traveling across the country together, and discover the truth about themselves and each other.
The acting in the film is impressive. Felicity Huffman morphs convincingly into the part of a biological male in the process of becoming physically female.
Huffman already won the Golden Globe and is nominated for an Oscar for the performance.
Kevin Zegers makes an equally impressive transformation from his previous roles in kid movies such as "Air Bud" to this more serious role in a dark comedy.
Unfortunately, great acting does not always equal great movie.
The premise of "Transamerica" is interesting, but the execution is flawed. The film moves at a strange pace, moving so slow at times that the viewer is bored to death. When something interesting is being explored, the film often speeds up, and the excitement is over before it really gets going.
The cinematography is bland, and the film's plot can't seem to pick sides. It alternates between portraying the United States as an ugly, tough place and a friendly, blossoming land of fortune.
The plot also tries to tackle too many issues, which has a few negative effects. "Transamerica" takes on important issues involving transsexuals, drug addiction, prostitution, child molestation, auto theft and youth poverty, but the overload of problems proves to be more confusing than thought-provoking.
The film does manage to develop a few issues, especially focusing on two minority groups that are often ignored by the mainstream media: transsexuals and American Indians.
The film also explores parent-child tensions and the struggle of families to accept each other as individuals. This dilemma is played out between Bree and Toby, as well as between Bree and her parents.
The music in the film picks up the slack from the cinematography and plot. Dolly Parton's original song "Travelin' Thru" is nominated for an Oscar.
The array of classic American genres on the soundtrack provides the perfect score for a trip across the country. The film showcases artists such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Graham Greene.
"Transamerica" is full of Oscar-worthy performances, but overall, the film is disintegrated and not enjoyable to watch. It is not a film worth rushing out to see.
