XXY

Kyle predicted that this movie would leave me confused about my sexuality.

While it didn't do that, it did make me wonder what I would do if I happened to be the father of a hermaphrodite child. Would I opt for early surgery and force the child into one of the two acceptable gender roles? Or would I wait to see which gender the child most identifies with?

This film examines that decision through the story of Alex, raised as a girl but housing the equipment of both genders. Her Mom has brought an old friend to town and with her comes her surgeon husband. Unbenownst to Alex or her father, Alex's Mom plans on having the surgeon permanently assign Alex's gender to female. Alex's father wants Alex to decide what she wants to do and Alex wonders why she has to make a choice at all.

Though this all might seem quite promising, I found the movie just OK. First-time Argentinean director Lucia Puenzo is to be commended for making a bold feature that doesn't shy away from or sugar coat its subject matter (the graphic anal scene between Alex and the surgeon's son set that straight right away). However, I found the script to be wildly inconsistent and the characters very blah. For example, the surgeon character starts off by being this shadowy doctor interested more in medical accolades than Alex's well-being. He then seems to soften-up by helping Alex in dealing with her issues with some of the young locals. He then ends the movie by telling his son he has no talent and that he is concerned he is a "faggot".

Not a bad movie. Linda seemed to like it more than I did. I can only give it a mildly favourable review.

Oh, and I'm glad I didn't take my parents to see this one