Anatomy of transgenderism at its first venturesome and failed efforts - Was it worth it?

Rating: 9/10 (4 March 2016)

First of all, it's a beautiful picture all the way with amazing wonder of pictorial qualified aestheticism which is sustained throughout, masking the very debatable and to some disgusting plot in merciful and seducing perfume. Especially the music by Alexandre Desplat works miracles about this - he always seems to do that and has elevated the quality of many films that way, especially art films. This is above all an art film and should not be ignored as such. After six years of marriage an artist finds himself in a typical artist's crisis and finds a peculiar way out of it - by transcending into a woman. Eddie Redmayne does not make a bad job of it but actually makes a more impressing performance than the Oscar-winner in what must be recognized as one of the most difficult and sensitive performances imaginable. It's actually difficult to think that anyone would willingly venture into such a minefield.
And does the transgender operation solve his problem? Of course not, and that's the disappointing conclusion of the film. Anyone should have known that from the start, and especially the artist. I have met many transgender people in my days, and not one was convincing - the old sex shone garishly through in every case. I am not saying that it must fail, but violating nature is never a good idea.
Nevertheless, it remains a very beautiful film, for the music and the scenery and couldn't have been made better. Enhjoy it for its beauty, and pardon the tragedy for its foolishness, – but, as so often in films, without that there would have been no story to be told.