Southern Comfort
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Movie Reviews of Southern Comfort
Movie Review: A Gold Standard for Documentaries
Summary: 4 Stars
SOUTHERN COMFORT is everything documentary films (or 'docurama' as the film makers call it) should be: it is honest, illuminating, straight-forward, and technically well made. Kate Davis has given us insight into a community that is sadly neglected by society at large - the transgender community of male to female and female to male who are caourageous enough to follow their convictions that they were born with the wrong body. The film documents the last four seasons in the life of Robert Eads, a warm, crusty guy who was denied full gender change surgery by the medical profession in Georgia and thus still retains his cervix and uterus which have become malignant and eventually cause his death. His extended family of two other female to male friends (one of whom was given a botched breast reduction by the same medical profession), the two wives of these men (one a genetic female who had been married 7 times before to extremely abusive genetic males), Robert's love Lola Cola (a male to female woman of beautiful warmth and support, and Robert's own biological son (who still calls Robert 'Mom') and grandson. To see the way this quiet and lovely group of people stand tall in a world that despises them, who look forward to the annual Southern Comfort Weekend where transgendered people gather to nurture and celebrate each other, and who invite us into thier private lives is simply a beautiful experience for the viewer. Where other less sensitive directors could have made this film a sensational expose, Kate Davis has elected to keep it tender and true. Kudos to all concerned. This film should be in the archives of all Gender Studies programs.Movie Review: touching, enlightening, and profound
Summary: 4 Stars
This sensitive documentary chronicles the lives several gender-bending and mind-bending sets of transsexual couples. The central character, who has become a man, is ironically dying of ovarian cancer. He was repeatedly refused treatment by the medical establishment because of his identity as a transsexual. The unconventionality of these individuals is touchingly contrasted with their fight for basic human rights, and their desire to enjoy the simple pleasures of domestic life taken for granted by most Americans. Despite some petty differences, they achieve compassion, humor, and tolerance in their interractions among themselves and with their "straight" families and friends. The dignity of their struggle brilliantly reveals that it is actually "mainstream" culture which is freakish, both in terms of its outrageous persecution and its irrational phobia of them. The final line of the film really stayed with me (I'm paraphrasing): "Nature delights in diversity, why can't human beings?" I was tempted to give the film five stars but I felt the cinematography could have been more creative and the editing could have been tighter. In terms of content, though, this film has a rare and transformative vision which would merit the highest rating.Movie Review: Well worth seeing
Summary: 4 Stars
We all struggle, the main character in this documentary more so than most of us, but he does so with bravery and grace. The people are rough around the edges, which I struggle with, but it was a good reminder to me to try to be more tolerant of all people. I felt the full range of emotions before it was over.Movie Review: Interesting but limited
Summary: 3 Stars
I ordered this movie as I thought it would be useful for a course on Gender and Identity. while it is an interesting film in its exploration of one mans life I found it tended to romantice his life rather than provide an insight or knowledge into how he coped with the many obstacles that he faced. If one in interested in reviewing how a transgendered person has made their life successful for themselves it is a good film if one is looking for a deeper understanding of transgendered people I did not think it was great. Thank you