Simply Perfect

Absolutely Fantastic

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Soldier's Girl is a human drama film based on the true events of the life of Barry Winchell who served as a private in the 101st Airborne Division. He was killed by a fellow private Glover who beat him to death which was said to be initiated by fellow soldier and roommate Justin Fisher. The event of his murder circulated around the time that he began a relationship with a transgender performer Calpernia. The film follows the strong prejudice and discrimination towards sexual minorities in the military. The film signifies the presence of the policy "Don't Ask Don't Tell" that was told to be for the security of homosexuals but also became more of an important drive to practice homophobia. The event covered by the film in itself has a very violent nature, it explores that homophobia doesn't stop as a prejudice, but extends its hand to violent discrimination. Through Winchell's soft and gentle personality, the film succeeds in presenting the contrast between his very "standard male masculinity" of his exterior and his emotional side. His characteristics presents a certain warmth and loyalty as a person but also as a military private. This characteristic also helped establish the same mood to his relationship with Calpernia. The film portrays the relationship between the two as if it was a natural and succeeds in the genuine chemistry and love that both have for each other. It does not give a technical or clear definition and explanation of what Winchell's sexuality is and this enables the film to focus on their interaction as humans and love for each other that greatly contributes to their chemistry and depth of their relationship. Over all the film balances maintaining its commitment to sending a political message but also the emotional aspect of the characters in the film.

This is the story of a soldier, Barry Winchell, and his girlfriend, a trans gender showgirl named Calpernia Adams. Barry is a private soldier in the airborne infantry and kind of had a very masculine image among the group. Barry, who is not gay, has little personal conflict when deciding to be with Calpernia and his friends from the infantry especially Fisher cannot not accept the fact that he is in love with a man. This movie made me cry when I watched it. The acting is superb, and the characters are realistically complicated and not at all watered down. The relationship between Barry and Calperina is lovingly drawn, and I really felt their connection throughout the film. This is such a sad movie because Barry was basically killed for being in love and because of the wrong assumption and hatred from his bunkmates.

yes, it is difficult to portrait a transsexual woman in a movie.yes, most people will never get close to the whole subject.and, yes, most people don't understand the concept of being transsexual, which is understandable, we deal only with things that concern us personally. so, im no expert either.and i get, that its hard to cast someone for the lead, but without the proper lead the whole movie is doomed to begin with.the crying game had a very good lead with jaye davidson, and that made it a great movie. transamerica had a very good lead with felicity huffman.unfortunately this movie does not. its tedious, boring and badly researched, but the material could have made a good film

SOLDIER'S GIRL was released in 2003, a landmark, brave film that stirred a lot of controversy as well as a lot of plaudits for the superb work of cinema that it was. The story was written by Ron Nyswander ('Philadelphia', 'The Painted Veil', 'Mrs. Soffel' etc) and the director was Frank Pierson, also aligned with many important films as both writer and director ('Dog Day Afternoon', 'Cool Hand Luke', 'A Star is Born', 'Truman', 'Citizen Cohn', 'Presumed Innocent', etc). Obviously made on a low budget, the corners were cut where they should have been, not on the quality of the cast or the impact of the story. It was and remains a brilliant film. Barry Winchell (Troy Garity) is a sensitive, quiet soldier who is manacled by a homophobic roommate Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy). Justin takes Barry to a nightclub where the performers are 'guys in drag' as a challenge to understand Barry's somewhat subdued nature. There Barry observes performer Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace) and despite the negative atmosphere Justin has created, Barry connects with Calpernia. Calpernia is working to get the money to have her final transgender surgery: the reason she works in the club is to make enough to pay the bills and save for her surgery. Barry and Calpernia become a couple despite all the cautions they fully see. Barry's fellow soldier's do not understand how Barry can be attached to a 'freak' and despite Barry's love for Calpernia and Calpernia's protective outlook for Barry, the relationship is tested daily. Barry is ostracized by his soldier 'friends' and in a brutally honest scene, Barry is beaten to death by Fisher. How Calpernia endures and the fate of the perpetrators is decided leads to the ending of the film. In performances as real and powerful as those of Lee Pace and Troy Garity and yes, even Shawn Hatosy, the spectrum of the many permutations of the film are brilliantly delivered. All are excellent, but the extraordinary work by Lee Pace (who has since become a very important actor in many films) deserves as many awards as possible. The story is tough but exceptionally important, especially the manner in which it reveals the psychosocial and physical makeup of transgender people. The film is at once a stunning love story as well as an exposé of man's inhumanity to man and the rigid impact of the military still bound by ancient and crude rules of behavior. This is a film to see repeatedly for many reasons, not the least of which is that it has become a banner film for transgender citizens. It is based on a true story, a fact that makes it all the more painful to see. Grady Harp