★★★★✩ Tough Cookie
Genre: Transitioning, Queer, Relationship Drama
Summary
Set in the 80's, Laurence Anyways is a Quebecois film that follows Laurence, a transgender woman, as she transitions into her new self. Laurence struggles to hang on to her romance with Fred, an eccentric woman who has trouble accepting Laurence's transition but still harbors deep feelings for her.
Mini-Critique
Laurence Anyways is by no means a light film. Laurence doesn't begin her transition until partway through the film, and though at this time she comes out to her girlfriend, it takes her a while before she starts coming out publicly, and watching her transition may be triggering for some viewers. However, Laurence Anyways is without a doubt a spectacular film. The film jumps forward and backwards in time, and the ending is not your typical predictable finale, which is refreshing.
Difficulty Rating
★★✩✩✩ Easygoing / ★★★★✩ Tough Cookie
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Interestingly enough, although Laurence Anyways is a Quebecois film, its actors do not have strong French Canadian accents (which can often be difficult to understand). This makes the film easier to understand than other Quebecois films, although the film remains difficult given the characteristic speedy speech. With English subtitles, the film should rate at ★★✩✩✩ Easygoing and with no subtitles, it should rank as a ★★★★✩ Tough Cookie film. French subtitles would make it ★★★✩✩ Intermediate.
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