Hunky Stud I didn't plan to write a comment, but there are only five, and all their ratings are high. I totally disagree with them, therefore, I wrote the following comment.I don't speak French, so I had to watch the subtitle. I checked out the DVD from a local library. The first half of movie was fine, but the subtitle starts to appear about 5 seconds later than the actual dialog. So it was getting confusing to tell who said what.There were all kinds of people who got killed with different backgrounds. , they simple don't make much sense. It seems that director just made all those killings to make this movie more "interesting".For example, after a black guy was killed. The detective did not take a heart shaped box the first time he searched the house. The detective came back to that house the second time, and went directly to the place where the box was stored. How did the detective know about this box the second time, and if he already knew about it, why didn't he take it the first time? After a man was stabbed by the killer, Bo went to that apartment. The man pointed into his pants, Bo was able to get a roll of film. Instead of giving it to the police, s/he actually kept the film himself. What for? He is not the detective, and he doesn't know what is in the film, why would he wants to keep the film? Then he went to someone s/he knows, asked him to develop the film for him. And that guy didn't even bother to ask Bo why s/he has those graphic pictures?Overall, there were lots of scenes that don't make sense at all. It is a confusing movie.

gradyharp The aria from Donizetti's 'L'elisir d'amore' plays a significant role throughout this fascinating, intelligent, well made thriller by Francis Girod based on a novel by Brigitte Aubert and adapted for the screen by Girod and Philippe Cougrand. 'The secret tear' takes on many meanings as this complex story set in Brussels unfolds in the same manner as 'Diabolique'. Only this film takes even more risks and succeeds resoundingly.Presented as simply the main character instead of an oddity, transsexual Bo (Robinson Stévenin) works as an entertainer in a drag club in Brussels. His best friends are other transsexuals, especially Maeva (William Nadylam), who perform with him. Some are also prostitutes and are falling prey to a serial killer who disfigures each of his victims in a vicious way. Bo, we learn, left home at age 13, unable to cope with sexual molestation from his father (Marcel Dossogne) and the suicide of his mother, and lives quietly in a humble apartment. Her interest is peaked when a handsome young Johnny (Stéphane Metzger) moves in next door and she fantasizes an affair with him. While Johnny appears to be infatuated with Bo, he has his dark side, living with a roommate with whom he provides sexual services for older unattractive but rich women.The police, headed by Huysmans (Richard Bohringer) investigate the serial killings and in some way Bo is always at the scene or is familiar with the victims. The story revolves around the cat and mouse game of surveillance and complications of information regarding the killing spree. An interesting sidebar shows Bo's father arrested for sexual harassment and Bo is interrogated by the police about his childhood traumas with his father. How Bo weaves through all of the events - longing for Johnny, attempts for a consignation with Johnny which teeters on the possible versus the sadistic, gay bashing, gaining courage to speak against his father, etc - is the maze the story pulls us through. The identity of the serial killer is successfully revealed at the very end of the film.The excitement of the suspense drama is heightened by Girod's stunning direction and by the completely convincing acting of Robinson Stévenin, but also by the superb characterizations by Richard Bohringer, Stéphane Metzger, William Nadylam, Frédéric Pellegeay, Ginette Garcin, Stéphane De Groodt, and Charlie Dupont. The musical score by Alexandre Desplat is one of this fine composer's best, and the cinematography by Thierry Jault finds just the right flavor of the seamy streets of Brussels to make the story as creepy as it should be. So with all this praise why only 8 stars for the DVD? The subtitles (the film is in French) are so out of sync with the film that they completely destroy the important conversations, so much so that many times the subtitles are finishing off a scene that is no longer on the screen! If these were corrected it would be clear to everyone why Robinson Stévenin won the French Cesar Award for best actor and why it is such a success for the daring director Francis Girod. Highly recommended...just be aware that the English subtitles will frustrate you - unless you speak French! Grady Harp

dbdumonteil Francis Girod began his career with a scandalous movie:Romy Schneider,who was looked upon as a Madonna by most of the FRench audience became one the most disgusting criminals an actress had ever played.Since he watered down his wine and subsequent works were much more moderate ("Lacenaire""la banquière") when they were not drastic failures ("descente aux enfers" " passage à l'acte"."Mauvais genres " is a return to form for Girod.He has never been so nefarious since his debut.Two actors give stunning performances:Robinson Stevenin plays a transvestite ,a part so difficult -he is on the screen from the beginning to the end- it's a miracle he could pull it off so brilliantly.But Richard Bohringer's cop is even more impressive:his character speaks in a croaking voice ,close to a whisper.Meava the transsexual is probably the most humane character in the whole movie.The plot is so complex it will demand several viewings.A lot of elements interfere :a serial killer who kills male and female prostitutes ,a transvestite whose father has just been arrested for pedophilia -which might or might not lead his son (Stevenin) whom he abused to lead such a life-; the "sens interdit" (one-way street) gay club where you can see a drag act , the "twin duet" featured in Demy 's "les demoiselles de Rochefort" ;elements of melodrama : the past of the characters recalls those endless novels from the nineteenth century when the characters did not know exactly who their father was;and a love the hero feels for a so-called straight mover (who's also a gigolo) .But more than the story,it's the atmosphere which matters.Girod creates a destabilizing world which leaves the viewer panting for breath.And it's not sexist.The monsters are not necessarily the non-straights.

pljones A great thriller, the film kept me guessing till the end. Robinson Stevenin was fantastic as Bo Ancellin. I saw the film when it came out in France and am glad somebody finally decided to bring it to the United States. Robinson Stevenin won a Cesar Award for his performance as a transvestite accused of a series of murders in Brussel's underground in this exciting, murder mystery film. It's rare to see a film which features a trans-gendered character as the lead actor, especially in a film theatrically released in the United States. The director, Francis Girod did an excellent job bringing the story to life. There was never a dull moment in Transfixed. Two thumbs way up, see this film!