runamokprods
This delightful odd-ball dramedy is another interesting film made around the edges of mainstream society from Sean Baker, who also made the excellent, clever 'Starlet', about a very likable, druggy, porn actress. This film is about two transsexual prostitutes who are best friends, and their series of misadventures as they try to track down Sin-Dee's boyfriend/pimp. He has broken her heart by reportedly fooling around with a non-transsexual woman while Sin-Dee was in prison for a month on a drug rap. Shot on an iPhone, and bursting with energy, playfulness, sexuality, and just the right amount of sadness and reality, it's surprising how much fun, and how often funny the film is, while still allowing these 'outsider' characters dignity and heart. It sometimes feels a bit episodic and repetitive, and a couple of bits are humor are forced. Also, for the most part these are not actors, and while that raw, unprofessional quality can nicely add to the sense of truth, it can also occasionally hurt the comic timing, or take away from the emotion of a scene. But overall, this is a terrifically original American indie, made from the heart, and on far less than a shoestring, It gives voice and humor to leading characters who at best would be a throw away one line joke in most Hollywood films. (It also looks pretty damn good for a film shot on a phone!). Well worth seeing.
Jackson Booth-Millard
I saw this film mentioned on Film 2015, and then it was one of the newest entries in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, it looked and sounded like a really interesting film, especially how it was made, so I had to watch it. Basically Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is a transgender prostitute who has just been released from a 28-day prison sentence, it is Christmas Eve and she meets with her fellow transgender prostitute and friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor) in a donut shop in Hollywood. During their conversation, Alexandra accidentally reveals that Sin-Dee's boyfriend and pimp Chester (James Ransone) has been cheating on her with a woman of cisgender (their gender identity corresponds with their biological sex). Sin-Dee is angry and storms out to search the neighbourhood for Chester and the woman, while Alexandra hands out flyers for her evening musical performance, she also argues with a client who refuses to pay for business, the police break up this argument. Armenian cab driver Razmik (Karren Karagulian) is regularly looking for sex workers, he picks up a prostitute, but ejects her when discovering she is not transgender, he later meets Alexandra who gives him fellatio in a car wash, he then returns home for Christmas dinner with the family. Sin-Dee finds the woman she is looking for, Dinah (Mickey O'Hagan), at a motel brothel, she drags her around town to continue searching for Chester, Dinah continually taunts her along the way, but they stop to watch Alexandra at the venue to perform her music show, no other customers have arrived, it is a mostly empty bar. Razmik leaves his family to watch Alexandra's performance, claiming he is working, but he finds out he is too late, while he searches for Sin-Dee, Razmik's mother-in-law follows him. Sin-Dee, Alexandra and Dinah go to the donut shop, Chester arrives and a confrontation takes place, he insists Dinah means nothing to him, Razmik arrives, followed by his mother-in-law, who calls his wife, Razmik's wife arrives with their infant daughter, and the arguing gets more heated, until the donut shop owner calls the police. Razmik and his family return home, Dinah walks back to the brothel, but there is no room for her, outside the donut shop Chester tells Sin-Dee he also slept with Alexandra, upset Sin-Dee leaves and tries to pick up clients, but she gets urine thrown on her verbal abuse, in the end Sin-Dee and Alexandra go to a laundry service to clean up, and they seem to make amends. Also starring Alla Tumanian as Ashken, Luiza Nersisyan as Yeva, Arsen Grigoryan as Karo, Ian Edwards as Nash, Clu Gulager as The Cherokee and Ana Foxx as Selena. Rodriguez and Taylor are fantastic as the almost mismatched two black transgender hookers striding up and down to resolve their issues, the script is full of murky and intimate subject matter, there are the odd icky and vulgar moments, but it is also very funny, the characters constantly calling each other "girl" and "bitch" for example, and it is surprisingly charming. But what makes this film really stand out, it is obviously a low-budget venture, and it was all shot with three iPhone 5s smartphones, giving the film both depth in its observation and a reality show kind of feel, it should be mentioned also that the title relates to the colour of the Los Angeles sky at sunset, overall it is a most engaging and enjoyable comedy drama. Very good!
duaneincali
First of all, I am not trans but I thought this is a great movie, regardless of one's persuasion. I immediately called my teenage daughter and suggested she see it. It went deeper than I thought it would on many levels. The cab driver picking up the hot hooker and being shocked when she did NOT have a dick was to me very interesting and I think helps people understand the trans mindset; which seemingly to date has usually been stereotypical for the most part. The connections were all very real; more than most movies. I especially liked the 2 leads looking out for each other. Mya Alexander to me shines in this and has a real shot at big traditional roles. I highly recommend this for all teenagers to help them deal either with any issues they may be going through, or even more so to simply be more accepting. Highest recommendation.
