thesar-2
Red Without Blue is a cute little documentary. Cute, yes. Inspiring, perhaps.The short, short little film centers on twin boys who happen to be gay. One will grow strong, as in, with facial hair while the other gets Daddy to remove that same ailment.All the while, you will learn that these 20-something kids will suffer through drugs, sexual identity, separation of themselves and then of their parents. Not to mention a mother who, literally, calls them young adults who she knows, not birthed.The style of the film is remarkable and very pleasing to the eye. And the heart's in the right place. Unfortunately, the movie skips all over the place and barely lands on solid ground in order to put us, the viewers, on the right track to know where and why they ended up the lost/regained souls they will become. In 2007, that is. I wonder where they are today.Sure, I can do research. But that's why I watch documentaries. To let them do it for me. Maybe, that's my fault: for letting all-but 4 years pass before this film's premiere and my viewing.Nevertheless, it's a touching film of two twins, one draped in blue and the other red – I'm guessing the parents, who didn't know until the last possible minute the birth could conceive two kids, weren't really prepared. And it's wonderfully shot with someone with a good eye.It's not groundbreaking, though it's interesting. Heck, it's only 74 minutes. It has a father of two boys who actually cares about his two boys, both of whom are gay, one of which is transgender. That, in itself, is a rarity. Way-to-go, Dad.And if you can make it past the all-over-the-place first two-thirds, there's a touching love story – SEE: David and a nice "Let me help you through this" trans-replacement story. Unfortunately, for me, that is, the D'N'D guy/gal looked sooo cute as a boy, I'm sorry he/she ended up as female, though she did look good as a girl, as well. Was the vagina shot necessary? And don't get your hopes up – for those who like to look at the female
uh, area
it's a medical shot/picture, sorta.This all said
I would recommend it for multiple reasons: it's incredibly short. It's available free – well, on Netflix (as of 2/14/11) Instant. It's not too deep to take up too much table talk. It's harmless. And it's very well, though not originally, shot. I did enjoy what I saw and was interested enough to learn what happened following.So
can someone tell me
what happened since?
georgannhardin
This movie meant a great deal to me as I was raised in an abusive family and depend constantly on my sister for companionship and solace. I've always known that happiness is relative. But I am learning that life's difficulties make us better people. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." Mark and Clair and their parents have communicated their humanity more to me than any other movie or situation. Thank you for your courage and love and I hope everyone gets to see this movie and feel the way I do because of it.
preppy-3
I caught this at the Provincetown International Film Festival. It's about a pair of identical twins (Mark and Alex) who grow up to realize they're gay. One of them remains a man but the other wants to get a sex change--maybe. This film deals with how they grew up and how one wants to get a sex change.The subject matter is certainly different and this movie is pretty well-done...but I do have a problem with it. All the people interviewed (including the brothers) have blank looks on their faces and speak in a monotone about everything. It lessens the impact of some truly horrifying events the men went through and always keeps the viewer at arms length. Still this is a fascinating documentary and the discussions about gender changing are very interesting. Worth catching.
Eclipse292
Red without Blue is a beautiful and touching film that raises a multitude of interesting questions about identity and family life. It depicts the life of a trans teen and does not edit out the grim truths about how difficult it can to fit in with your own self-perception. The people profiled are all very compelling and honest. Interviews with the subjects get at the heart of the conflicts. Following the family over time, we get a intimate view of how people deal with crises, and how our prejudices and opinions can change so drastically when facing difficult choices. The cinematography is beautiful and adds elegance to subject matter. The soundtrack is terrific- and features some trans musicians.Highly recommended.