Transamerica

Due for a sex change operation, Bree, (Felicity Huffman), a male transsexual, learns of one of the more enduring "mistakes" of her past - the existence of a son.

She wants to turn her back on the reality of the situation, but Bree's therapist refuses to sign the legal permission for her imminent operation until she has confronted her past.

Reluctantly accepting her therapist's decree, Bree's journey to bail out her delinquent boy Toby (Kevin Zegers) from his troubled life in New York begins. Learning that Toby wishes to head out West in pursuit of his own dreams, she persuades him to accompany her on her drive back along the West Coast.

And so begins a sideways glance at an American we don't often get to see.

Meeting a number of characters on their travels - a group of transsexuals at a party and most notably, Clive, a straight, conservative, Irish/American-Indian who likes to wear cowboy hats and takes a liking Bree - Transamerica is composed of a series of vignettes which take a teasing look at some of the more unknown parts of America.

One of the most excruciating but strangely familiar scenes concerns a family meal at a restaurant. The oddness of it all leaves one thinking who's weirder - Bree, or her family?

Acted with conviction and persuasiveness, Felicity Huffman's transformation of Bree - a biologically male transsexual, wanting to be a female, played by a woman - is a marvel to watch.

Full of pathos and sensitivity, her performance is a real treat.

Traversing the lines of sexuality and what it means to be American, Toby and Bree's awkward relationship with the world around them makes for common ground and with their journey, their relationship develops.

A wonderful little gem of a film, Transamerica is director Tucker's first full-length feature.

Populated by an array of seemingly odd and unusual characters, the story is nevertheless a rather familiar exploration of self-acceptance and family values.

Superb acting, humour and a lightness of touch make for an engaging and humane film about the lives of a couple of extraordinary characters wishing for themselves an ordinary life.