| RATING: | 80% |
| FORMAT: | DVD |
The hoary old story of a man disguising himself as a woman can only ever be done humorously since it is hard to imagine any woman really falling for it. That they – and the men here – do leads to the inevitable complications. The woman he fancies believing he is lesbian; his girlfriend thinking he is gay; his best friend thinking he is transvestite; and, the man who fancies him, offering a marriage proposal!
All of this vaudeville is given a feminist spin by detailing the casual sexism inherent in modern, Western culture and the tough mental attitude required to deal with it. The real cleverness of this movie is that the central male character (in drag) finds himself by becoming a woman; while helping other women find their true selves – as women. That this works as solid comedy - and does not merely become ridiculous - is a testament to the quality of the writing and of all the acting. Dustin Hoffman, in particular, shines as the struggling actor determined to completely convince as a woman – the best role his character will probably ever have. Hoffman is the classic (& probably the best) example of a character actor who is so very good that he becomes a star through sheer dint of excellence.
This movie also contains a deft critique of the lousy production values of much tv output – especially the vacuity of the soap operas – and their reactionary, chauvinist attitudes.
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