Stuart Greif Call me fascist or reactionary, but what a disgusting Age we live in. I am particularly disgusted with Naomi watts for her choice of bedmate. I know this is just a movie, but movies about gender freaks just freak me out.

TxMike I watched this at home as a Netflix streaming movie. The story here involves a heated topic in many circles, the idea that a person may be born into a gender that is not appropriate for who they really are. Many on the "conservative" side, especially of they are also fundamental religious, firmly believe that if you are born a girl that is what you are supposed to be, learn to live with it, wanting to transition to a boy should never be an option. Many on the "liberal" side firmly believe that a person needs to be true to themselves and if that means switching genders then they are supportive. In addition there are whole bunches of people who don't care either way.This movie was written and directed by women, one of them is a formerly married mother of three. The core story involves a 16-yr-old girl who has felt for most of her life that she was really a boy born with female parts. She pilots her skateboard, she dresses like a boy, she cuts her hair short. And now as the story confronts us she is requesting her mom's permission to enter a program to "transition" to a boy. She wants to get a fresh start at a new school and as a boy. A wrinkle is that her dad, whom she has no contact for the last 10 years or so, has to sign the form also.Elle Fanning who otherwise is good at glamour type female roles is really good here as Ray, I found myself really believing this girl could want to be a boy. Her grandmom is played well by Susan Sarandon as Dolly, who supports her daughter, loves her and wants her to be happy, but just doesn't know how to react to her daughter's request. And there is Naomi Watts, good as the mom, Maggie, also mostly puzzled about how to react. In an interesting additional role Linda Emond is Frances, the lesbian partner of Dolly.I think there is no doubt about the leanings of those who made this movie, but regardless of a particular viewer's own leanings the movie can be appreciated for the story it tells, there is no running away and sticking heads in the sand, the transgender issue is here and it will stay and this movie gives an excellent view of the landscape.I enjoyed watching it, good movie.

subxerogravity As if being a teenager was not hard enough this is the story of Ray who was born Ramona and is trying to change that but needs the permission of both her parents. One played by Nomai Watts seems supportive as a single mother raising Ray all by herself. The other is absent due to a series of events that need to be unfolded so that Ray can be normal.I like Elle Fanning in the movie, she was good. She plays Ray as that typical emotional teenager, but mature and driven enough that it did not annoy me. Although, her performance did not make me believe that Ray is a heterosexual teenage boy that she was trying to pass him off as. It could be that I'm missing the point. Maybe, or maybe there is a reason Hilary Swank won an Oscar for playing a woman living her life as a man in Boys Don't Cry.The movie is a bit of an emotional roller coaster, which is good, but I've definitely been on way, way better roller coasters based on less sophisticated topics. You are suppose to feel something in this type of movie. For me it felt mostly like the film wanted me to have a side on the topic, and then see what happens once all the cards are on the table, but it did not touch me like they were hoping it would.I saw in another review someone stated that 3 Generations could have been much more. I don't know the more it could have been, but I'm guessing that's what's lacking from this ride. Based on the subject matter, I don't know enough about women going through the process of becoming men to know what's missing to make this story pop. I just know it does not have it.I do know that the movie is not just about the hot button topic as the title suggest. It's primary story is about (Or should be about) 3 Generations of women in one house. That overall plot may work better as a sitcom with today's episode being about how Ramona wants to live her life as Ray. With the movie's focus on Ray's plot they did not leave that much room for the 3 Generations overall plot, starring Susan Sarandon as the 1st Generation, who owns the home and is a Lesbian living with her life partner (As they are of that generation that could not get married), and is confused about the whole Ray situation, which seems Ironic, but when you watch the movie you'll see it's not, and Elle Fanning is the 3rd generation who was born a woman but is a man inside. Then there's Naomi Watts who plays the second Generation. Perfectly placed in the middle. By traditional standards her problems and hang ups seem normal compared to her mother, who she is nothing like and her son, who she is nothing like. Give credit to these fine actors that I even have a small notion of what you would expect from a film called 3 Generations. I never fully got the joust of who Sarandon was supposed to be playing other than a woman who owns the home, and Ironically Watts character was 2 dimensional, even though the movie revolved greatly around her.I'm thinking the movie should have been like Little Boxes. Not a similar story, as that movie was about the day-to-day effects of racism, but similar in the sense that the comedy of the Dramedy, comes from the family dealing with their issues as a family. I see them attempting this in 3 Generations but it's not done well enough to pull the strings.http://cinemagardens.com/

zicteban Very disappointing despite very good acting performance from Fanning. Indeed, bunch of clichés, clumsy storyline, very week script make it hard to watch till the end. Furthermore, far from being and open-minded thoughtful movie about a very complex and sensitive issue, it turns out to be much to much right-minded in a very dull, binary way.