Hedwig ROCKS!!!

Rating: Null/10 (20 August 2001)

Exuberant, hypnotic film adaptation of John Cameron Mitchell's off-Broadway rock musical. This movie dazzles and rocks the audience with vivid production design and pumpin' songs by John Cameron Mitchell and collaborator Stephen Trask.
Mitchell gives an absolutely powerhouse performance in the role he originated, as Hedwig, the transsexual would be rock star. Through beautifully staged musical numbers and flashbacks, the film tells the story of Hedwig's origins in East Berlin as Hansel. As a young man, Hansel meets Luther, an American G.I. (I think!). Before Luther and Hansel can leave E. Berlin and move to America, Hansel must undergo a sex change procedure, with the encouragement of his mother, ensuring safe passage to America as a military wife. Problems arise when the doctor selected to perform the operation f***s it up royally, leaving Hansel with a one-inch nub of flesh in place of what is supposed to be there! Now Hedwig, she and Luther relocate to Kansas, whereupon Luther leaves Hedwig for a younger, cuter boy toy. Heartbroken, Hedwig resuscitates her dormant singing passion and forms an amateur rock band. Hedwig and the band begin performing in seedy restaurants and pubs, where Hedwig soon meets her muse, Tommy, a troubled adolescent and wannabe rock star himself. Taking the young man under her wing, Hedwig and Tommy begin to compose music and develop their act (and, ultimately, more than their act). Unfortunately, more problems arise for Hedwig when Tommy steals the songs and establishes himself as a major teen-idol-like rock star, leaving Hedwig's career to rot in the shitter. Now, tailing Tommy on his US tour, Hedwig resumes the divey restaurant-pub circuit and relays her tragic story to divey patrons, whilst Tommy plays huge arenas.
Mitchell directs his story with remarkable skill and obvious passion, even more surprising still considering he's a first-time director. The performance sequences are staged much like an MTV music-video, only better. Scenes pop out at the captivated viewer with color, sound and imagination. Special notice should go to the animated sequences which are an inspired touch and really illustrate the emotional fault line Hedwig teeters on. At some points, this film was reminiscent of "Pink Floyd: The Wall" in that it utilizes music to tell its story, employs the would-be rock star as a protagonist, and brilliantly uses animation to further convey thoughts and feelings to the audience.
As a performer, Mitchell is magnetic. He doesn't so much play Hedwig as INHABITS her. His passion for the character and the material is plainly apparent, and his devotion to his creation is clear and admirable. One of those performances from an actor where I've never seen him in anything before, but right now I feel like going to the video store and renting everything he's ever been in! Truly astonishing!! Every emotion, every feeling registers clearly with the viewer through Mitchell's expressions and gut-wrenching vocals.
The rest of the cast acts with style and energy, especially Miriam Shor as Yitzhak, Hedwig's bandmate/lover. But the movie, as well as the play , belongs to Mitchell. One should definitely expect more great things to come from this exceptionally talented and forceful performer.