Released: 2015
Starring: Naomi Watts, Elle Fanning, Susan Sarandon
Director: Gaby Dellal
Produced by: Big Beach Films, InFilm Productions
“A family in transition”
3 Generations was suggested to me by Netflix. It was the cast that caught my eye: Elle Fanning had bowled me over years ago with her performance in Super 8, Naomi Watts (The Ring, Mullholland Drive) was a big name that I was familiar with, and Susan Sarandon (Thelma and Louise, Stepmom) who was a personal favourite of mine. I was intrigued by the poster, which presenting Fanning with short hair in men’s clothing, and thought a glance over the plot wouldn’t be bad.
The story sounded interesting and the fact that I hadn’t heard of the movie was surprising to me. It starred some big names and it was a movie about the family of a transgender child. So rarely are LGBTQ issues dealt with on a mainstream level – surely a film like this would have made bigger news? It seemed like a Lifetime drama – something you’d watch on a Sunday afternoon in your PJs – so I gave it a shot.
The acting was, as expected, very good. I felt comfortable with the family from the get-go. Maggie (Naomi Watts) is a single mother to her only son, Ray (Fanning) – a transgender teenager who is making a documentary about his transition from female to male. They live with the grandmother Dolly (Sarandon) and her partner, Frances (Linda Edmond, Julie and Julia). The main conflict is that Ray feels he needs to start testosterone therapy before he begins puberty, but he’s not allowed until his birth father, whom he hasn’t spoken to in years, signs to permission form. At the same time, Dolly is unhappy with Ray, thinking his yearning for his transition is ‘just a phase’ and wonders why he can’t just be a ‘normal lesbian’. Throughout the movie, the family struggles with using Ray’s preferred pronouns and ‘losing’ their daughter to an irreversible process at such a young age.
The characters are not two-dimensional. None of them are steadfastly opposed or supportive of the decision excepting Ray, and this stubborn determinedness does a good job of reminding the audience of what the mother consistently pushes throughout the story – he is just a child. Certainly, while Ray is acted wonderfully and provides a good drive for the plot of the film, the fact that he is so young reminds the audience of the bigger picture and underlying problem.
I liked 3 Generations because it wasn’t just a movie about a transgender teenager – it was about his family and his friends and his life. It showed an uncommon situation from a realistic perspective. It showed all of the people who are touched when a young person goes through a medical or emotional journey. The story seemed to be more about the mother than the other characters, which was an interesting character to focus on. Viewers are able to see the experience that family members have in this situation inclusive of those that are and are not understanding or supportive. Whether or not the audience has previous experience with the subject matter, the story is good, the characters are complex and realistic, and the multiple layers of conflicts keep the film consistently interesting.
Rating:
Fool on the Hill:
I give 3 Generations three and a half popcorns. I definitely don’t think this type of film is for everyone. It deals with a relatively new topic, provides lots of drama and unconventional family ties for audiences to learn and to enjoy. The visuals are lovely, the actors did a wonderful job, and it was generally an easy watch.
So, my original comments were lost in a haze of tech glitches. Short of it – agree with this rating. Liked it, but thought Sarandon’s part was thin and lacking depth.