rose movie reviews

tangerine (2015)

tangerine is a movie focused on being authentic. it was shot on an iphone5 (as seen in the phoyo above) and the script had heavy influence from the main actresses. we follow sin-dee, a black trans sex worker, who was just released after a month in jail and finds out that her boyfriend has cheated on her. we follow her and her close friend, alexandra, for the rest of the day in her quest to find and confront said boyfriend and the woman he cheated with. we also see cab driver, razmik, as he balances his family life and his attraction to the trans sex workers in this story. this movie is abrasive- pulsing music, bright colours and frequent cuts. it's rather ugly in terms of looks but that, in my opinion, adds to it's deeply human appeal.

the first half of tangerine is fast-paced and intense. the first longer shot we get is at about the halfway point, to my recollection. after picking up a sex worker in his cab and kicking her out in confusion when finding out that she doesn't have a dick, razmik employs the services of alexandra and gives her head as they go through a car wash. the camera lingers in the back seat, unmoving throughout the whole wash. 'this is becoming our place' alexandra quips. after this moment, the movie allows us to linger in moments. sin-dee and dinah (the girl who sin-dee's boyfriend cheated with) on the bus, alexandra singing at a bar, and the shot that ends the movie. this final scene sees sin-dee and alexandra at a laundromat. sin-dee just had piss thrown at her in a drive-by homophobic attack and, despite them falling out minutes prior, alexandra takes her to wash her clothes and wig. they sit waiting, resigned. sin-dee only in shorts a bra and wig cap until alexandra lends her wig in a moment of tender humanity.

transphobia is a definite theme in tangerine. with a topic like this, it's impossible to not address. the movie shows us how the public looks down on these women and how men who find them attractive are insulted. we also see many acts of solidarity between queer people. sex workers call out greetings as they pass each other on the street, they compliment each others outfits. to talk about the laundromat scene again, we see how alexandra gives sin-dee back some dignity at the expense of her own self expression. if they don't look out for each other then who will? while sin-dee's task for the day is one of chaotic rumour following, alexandra is busy handing out leaflets for a performance at a bar that night. we later get to see her sing but it's to an audience of only sin-dee, dinah and a few other scattered bar patrons. sin-dee diverts her warpath to attend the show- helping with makeup before, gazing in rapture during, and calling out to everyone to clap after. the rest of their friends who promised to attend don't show up. razmik attempts to, feinging an excuse of work to his family, but arrives too late.

this movie is messy. the characters don't have easy lives- they fight and cheat and betray each other. there is no neat ending to the film, no tying up of loose ends. there is only the day continuing.