All I knew about this was that it was about a transsexual, that the leading performance was by a woman playing a woman that used to be a man, and that it was an independent film, I had wanted to see it for some time, I'm glad I did eventually. Basically Sabrina 'Bree' Osbourne (Golden Globe winning, and Oscar nominated Felicity Huffman) is a conservative Transgender woman due to have a vaginoplasty in one week. Bree receives an expected phone call from 17-year-old Toby Wilkins (Kevin Zegers), he has been jailed in New York City, he asks for Stanley Schupak (Bree's birth name), who he claims is his father, he was born from her one and only sexual encounter with a woman. Bree was unaware she had a son and wants to renounce him, but her therapist Margaret (Elizabeth Peña) refuses permission for her operation if she does not confront her past before making her new future. Bree flies from Los Angeles to New York and bails Toby out of jail, Toby is a foul-mouthed runaway, a small-time drug dealer and a male prostitute, his mother committed suicide when he was a child, he was raised by his stepfather, whom he does not want to see. Bree pretends to be a Christian missionary and persuades Toby to travel with her back to the West Coast, she secretly plans to leave him at his stepfather's house on the way, it turns out Toby's stepfather was very abusive and molested him several times in his youth. Bree is dismayed with her failed plan to leave Toby, so they continue driving together to Los Angeles, they also stop along the way at a Dallas house where a group of transgender women (many are Bree's friends) are hosting a gender pride gathering. Later on in the trip Bree pulls over to urinate, Toby accidentally discovers that Bree has male genitalia, he is angry at first that she had not told him prior to his unintentional discovery, but he tries to be open-minded about it. They pick up a Hitchhiker (Grant Monohon) on th way, the next morning he steals their car and money, so Bree and Toby hitch a ride, Toby makes some money by prostituting himself, he tells Bree he got the money from selling drugs, they also hitch a ride with kindly rancher Calvin (Dances with Wolves' Graham Greene). They eventually reach Bree's parents' house in Phoenix, Arizona, here lives her pampered and self-centred mother Elizabeth (Yes Man's Fionnula Flanagan), her Jewish father Murray (Rocky's Burt Young), and her rebellious and sarcastic sister Sydney (Carrie Preston). Elizabeth disapproves of Bree's transsexuality, they have been estranged for some time because of her transphobia, but she is astonished she has a grandson, Toby likes Elizabeth's kindness and the luxury, she even invites him to live with them, but he does not like how disrespectful they are to Bree. At night Toby approaches Bree, he realises he has feelings for her and tries to seduce her, saying he will marry her if she wants, but he is appalled when Bree finally reveals that she is his father, infuriated he steals money and valuable antiques and leaves overnight. Devastated Bree returns to Los Angeles, with a plane ticket bought by her parents, her family finally accept her being a woman and calling her Bree, and she undergoes a successful surgery to become a full woman, but she is unhappy she will never see or hear from Toby. Some months later Bree is surprised when Toby comes knocking at her door, he has turned 18, bleached his hair blonde and become an adult actor for gay pornographic films, Bree meanwhile has found happiness working as a waitress at a restaurant, they reconcile, seemingly happy to see each other. Also starring Venida Evans as Arletty and Danny Burstein as Dr. Spikowsky. Huffman, best known as a star of Desperate Housewives, gives a brilliant performance as the pre-op transsexual facing up to parental responsibilities and going through both an emotional and physical journey, it is a traditional road movie with a quirky twist, a weird and mixed but affectionate relationship between former man father and son, it makes you laugh at the right moments, it does have awkward moments, but overall it is a great comedy drama. It was nominated the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song for Dolly Parton's "Travelin' Thru". Very good!

I won't give a 10 star because nothing is perfect, however if I didn't hold that philosophy this would be a 100% winner. I'm not sure who won the academy award that year but Felicity definitely deserved it. She totally got into character, and I will also give credit to the director and all assistance she was given to portray a transsexual women. I thought she was so funny, in a realistic way, with the added poignant scenes which were due for the story to send a profound message.Keven Zegers - great choice for the 'son' who steals frogs and likes to take drugs and give blow jobs for cash. Oops, is that a spoiler? Anyway, he's cute, he can act, and I could relate to his character; albeit not every characteristic nor "assignation".This is a country road trip theme with an original plot which makes this movie unique. It is one of my favourites. I like the soundtrack, camera shots, and characters reactions to comments, situations, and inappropriate behaviour. Oh, and lest I forget (SPOILER] the hilarious family Bree claims to be dead. The mother (Fionnula Flanagan), sister (Carrie Preston) and father are a delight.Watch, and watch again.

11121585 I had to watch this film for a university class and was very surprised how much I liked it. The film did a fantastic job of showing the main character Bree's development throughout the film as she becomes ready to finally complete her surgery. At the beginning of the film in her therapy session, Bree's psychologist tells her that gender dysphoria is a serious mental disorder that Bree questions, by saying it is a disorder that she can cure with plastic surgery. Bree relates the contradiction that exists between gender dysphoria and a cure. A serious mental disorder, as the psychologist deemed Bree's condition to be, is something that is very rarely able to be cured; it is inherent. The person living with a mental disorder will most likely live with it for the entirety of their life. However, Bree challenges the stigma of gender dysphoria with stating that a surgical repair can cure her of her distress. I think this film did an excellent job of portraying just how different gender dysphoria is compared to a mental disorder. By placing gender dysphoria under the mental disorder stigma, society maintains the bi-gendered system; stating that if one is born female, they must remain and identify as a female and vice versa with those born male. This film does an excellent job of depicting the struggles and challenges a trans gendered person may go through on their journey to "cure" themselves, and gives the main character the fairytale ending everyone hopes for. Bree is finally able to be transformed into the "woman" she so desperately wants to be, and the audience is able to observe her as truly happy with her transformation and seemingly "cured" of the distress she exhibited at the beginning of the film once again slamming the door on gender dysphoria being a mental disorder.

11096377 I watched this movie in a Human Sexuality class, as we were discussing the topic of trans gender individuals. I enjoyed this movie because it allows an individual an insight to how many issues that trans gender people face in reality. One main issue that I thought was interesting was the fact that Bree did not want to tell Toby, her son, that she was the father of him. When Toby was explaining how his father was to Bree he showed a picture, which was of Bree when she was male, and she lost her feminine characteristics at the time as if she was disgusted by the way she used to be as a male. Also while on a road trip, Bree stops to stay at her friend's place where there just so happens to be a "trans gender cruise planning party", Toby gets introduced to many of Bree's trans gender friends. Bree does not want them to tell Toby that she too is indeed a trans gender because she is scared of what Toby might think. Afterwards Toby tells Bree he thought all the people were nice, which changes Bree's opinion and she opens up more to Toby. She did not tell Toby the truth about being the father until a night at her parent's home. I think Toby should not view Bree any different than he did originally whether she is male or female; Bree is still the only parental figure in his life and he should be grateful for that although her gender identity has changed throughout the years, she is still the same person.