CheerupSilver
Very Cool!!!
Dynamixor
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Ava-Grace Willis
Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
Erica Derrick
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
elosomagenta
A memorable script, three unmemorable main performances. Without a doubt it is a fantastic story rich in power and encouragement to the transgender kids.
Moviegoer19
After reading other reviews and thinking about the film, I realize just how complex it really is. On first glance the main subject appears to be the character Ray/Ramona played beautifully by Elle Fanning, but it's actually not. The subject or theme I believe is the three generations of women in one family, and the problems/identity issues each one is grappling with. Each character is representative, to an extent, of her own generation. The oldest generation represented by the character played by Susan Sarandon, Dodo, is an artsy, self-confident lesbian who has a life partner but is not married to her, presumably not only because they got together way before marriage was even an option, but because they had a "who needs a marriage certificate" attitude. Sarandon's character is the "man" in the family.Then there's the middle generation, represented by Naomi Watts'character. She also represents her generation, which encompasses some "me generation" qualities, including sleeping with her boyfriend's brother, and having a kind of laid-back almost apathetic personality. She is dominated both by her mother and her child.And then there's Elle Fanning's character, representing a youth of today for whom it's totally natural to believe she was born in the wrong gender and all she needs to do is take meds and have surgery and everything will be set right. S/he also has the very confident, almost arrogant mindset that she's entitled to say anything she thinks or feels to her parents, grandparents, and anyone else who's within earshot.In fact, when Dodo (Sarandon) says to Ray "It's time we have a man in the family" it like she's handing the reins over to him. This is part of the film's happy ending which is nice, if unrealistic. But I liked both the ending and the entire film as it is engaging, has excellent acting, and is visually very downtown New York.
Larry Silverstein
Ray (Elle Fanning) is a 16-year-old who was born as Ramona but has felt for years that he's a male inside a female body. As he tries to begin the medical transgender process, it will open up much family angst and discord. Additionally, because of his age, Ray will require the parental consent of his absentee father which will lead to more emotional upheaval and the uncovering of some hidden family secrets.Although the film's heart may be in the right place, I thought the dialogue often came across as contrived, strident, and melodramatic, which made it a difficult watch for me. The movie does have a poignant and uplifting ending though.All in all, although I felt for Ray, who seemed the only one who was not conflicted about what he wanted to do, the movie itself did not seem like the best of vehicles to bring transgender issues to the forefront.
zicteban
Very disappointing despite very good acting performance from Fanning. Indeed, bunch of clichés, clumsy storyline, very week script make it hard to watch till the end. Furthermore, far from being and open-minded thoughtful movie about a very complex and sensitive issue, it turns out to be much to much right-minded in a very dull, binary way.