Different For Girls

If your sole point of transsexual movie refrences is "The Crying Game", you *have* to check this movie out.
Far from the contreversy of "The Big Secret", this movie paints a more realistic portrait of the actual, day-to-day life typical of a modern woman, (who happens to be transsexual), trying to make it through the relentless grind of society and relationships.
It is sweet in watching the re-kindled relationship between Kim and Prentice, old school mates, and the mind-wrapping required to adjust to the reality that is.

A sample quote from the movie that illustrates this:

Prentice: (Slightly stand-offish) "I'm not gay, you know.."
Kim:(with a resigned sigh) "Neither am I"

Although it doesnt tap into some of the darker aspects endured by Transpersons, it certainly tells a story not entirely like our own..with a twist.

There is a scarcity of films dealing with transgender issues. Of those that do, most focus on the what the movie suggests is the inevitable tragic aftermath of all concerned. DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS suggests instead a more normal, less tragic plot. When generations of viewers see movies that punish those who cross the gender line, then those movies subtly and insidiously build up a layer of prejudice that counterbalancing movies that allow a new philosophy of films like DFG to act as a breath of fresh air.
This movie has a twin protagonist. The male is Paul Prentice, well played by Rupert Graves, who comes across as a man with problems but also as one who deep down is really a decent sort. Years earlier, while in high school, he befriended Karl, a male friend from some nasty towel-snapping bullies in a scene that may bring to mind similar such scenes that all non-jocks must have endured at one time without a white knight rushing to the rescue. And make no mistake, Prentice is the knight who stands down the bullies, much to the silent gratitude of a young man who has troubles enough with his own issues of latent feminist feelings. Fast forward ten years. Karl is now Kim, a male-to-female transsexual. They meet with the now Kim recognizing Paul, but not the reverse. When Paul finally learns the truth, the movie delves into some serious areas of the heart which dictate who might like whom and why. Despite some initial antagonism on Paul's part, he feels an attraction to Kim. The nature of this attraction might be purely physical. Kim, played in a surprisingly demure fashion by Steven Mackintosh, really seems to be an attractive woman. When both finally strip, the illusion on the audience's part that a male actor is playing a MTF trangender is not shattered. Instead, their union is sweet and unaffecting. They learn to care for each other regardless of the anatomical differences. It is likely that if there is a subtle message to DFG, it is that the magic of attraction between one person and another need not hinge only on the obviously physical, but on the less obvious emotional.

Different for Girls is an interesting film. It is well acted and well directed. However, I don't know that it is a film for everyone. It deals with the subject of post "change" of a transgendered person and how they try to fit in to society. It is quite touching and sensitive. Steven Mackintosh is quite good as the transgendered person and Rupert Graves is dynamite as he is in everything he does.

If there is a problem with this film, it's that it seems to be preaching a bit more than I think it should. I'd rather see it less a drama and more "a day in the life of" sort of film.