I'm a Hed Head!

Rating: 10/10 (21 September 2001)

A couple of nights ago I saw John Cameron Mitchell's screen version of his off-Broadway hit "Hedwig and the Angry Inch". It is one of the great movie experiences in this lackluster year of film. This year... it seems like nothing but sequels. Likewise, there are very few independent and foreign films I have happened to be satisfied with as well. HATAI is the first film to come out this year that I've been completely satisfied with. Interestingly, I came into the theater expecting some kind of rock music parody a la Spinal Tap. What I got was much, much more. Not only is HATAI a fun movie to watch, I think is does a great job dealing with themes like self discovery and finding wholeness within oneself. That's why the Berlin Wall plays such an important role throughout this film. The music is incredibly effective and well done. In fact, at the screening I attended, many people were singing along with the songs during the film. I really think that the music will leave just as big of a lasting impression on some audiences as the movie itself. Nevertheless, a lot of people will be scratching their heads when they see the ending. Personally, I was quite satisfied with it because it doesn't reduce Hedwig's arch-rival (Tommy Gnosis) to some kind of nemesis. Rather, in one stunning sequence in the film we see how both are similar to each other. I hope everyone on the IMDB gets at a chance to see this smart, innovative film. I appreciated it greatly.