All About My Mother / Transamerica

Went to see these films tonight as a double-bill at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, courtesy of Christopher, and very enjoyable they were too.

This was the first time I'd seen either and didn't quite know what to expect. My heart sank early in 'All About My Mother' when suddely the camera angle shifted to the lad who'd just been knocked down by a car and we were seemingly seeing through his eyes, unfocused, with rain pouring down and his mother running towards him - I thought ' o gawd, he's doing the arty thing...'. Other than that, it was excellent, with some lovely set pieces and great characterisation. It sucks you into its world of glamour and sleaze, a side of Barcelona I have yet to see, takes you high and brings you low, you feel the pain and joy of the main characters. Even Lola who only appears at the end enters as a well-drawn character. Women are Almodovar's strength and he gets them to dig deep and deliver some astonishing performances. I'm very pleased I've now seen this film.

'Transamerica' is a different kettle of fish altogether which I also thoroughly enjoyed. It didn't have the emotional intensity of the previous film and had a very different look and feel, but it was fascinating to get a glimpse into the world of the transexual/transgender, even if only in a film. I've seen Felicity Huffman in 'Desperate Housewives' but this was a very different performance, very controlled, very calm and placid, a study in extreme femininity. In a sense, it's a road movie as well as a narrative about an evolving relationship based on deceit, but there were moments of almost shocking candour, such as when Bree breaks down in tears after the gender operation - at face value this was about her failed relationship with her son but you just know these are the tears of half a lifetime finally let out, sadness, disappointment, pain and hurt - and probably a little joy mixed in as well. That was a very touching scene.

So, that's an evening well spent - even if the one pint of Guinness I managed in the interval was badly poured...