Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

Peereddi I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

MarieGabrielle Today it seems films addressing these issues are still underexposed and maligned at times, the message is important and this film should be recommended in schools.The third time I watched this film I understood the clear severity of discrimination and hatred that is deflected onto various individuals in American "society". This film is based on a true story wherein J.D. Pardo portrays a trans-gendered high school student. Mercedes Ruehl is excellent as the single mother, struggling to understand her son, and what is plaguing him.The screenplay is particularly well-done, in that we see the family unit, how much Ruehl and the grandparents love their children, and the build-up to ensuing tragedy.The court scenes could be tiresome, but are not as the film flashes back to what actually occurred, and the murder trial. Of the three culprits, none were charged with hate crimes. Highly recommended. 9/10.

MagicStarfire 6 stars out of 10 This film, based on a true story, tries hard, and it IS well told, but it is definitely NOT the best vehicle to carry the message of tolerance and acceptance.I have friends who are transsexuals, so I do know people who have dealt with this problem in their lives. None of them, however, ever tried to deceive others in regards to themselves. Also, all of them eventually had sex reassignment surgery - something that was never even mentioned in this film. Nor was hormone treatment even mentioned.So while I definitely have strong sympathy for transsexual people, Eddie's deceitfulness is not going to "win friends and influence people", as the old cliché goes.Of course it is horribly wrong to mistreat someone simply because they are somewhat different from the mainstream group, and it certainly is past time that kind of thinking ended.Nonetheless, there are also the realities of life, and Eddie/Gwen absolutely and totally refused to accept that. With Eddie/Gwen, it was "my way or the highway." This led him to a great deal of unnecessary suffering. A transsexual person can suffer enough without adding to their own woes.The mother does come to accept Eddie as Gwen, but makes the huge mistake of turning her back on a therapist who could have offered a great deal of help to both herself and Eddie/Gwen.How much more beneficial a film on this subject COULD have been if it had revolved around a character who was honest about himself---and tried to fit in, but was still discriminated against--now THAT kind of film could have possibly opened a few minds. As it is, many people who see this film aren't going to bother to look beyond Eddie's misrepresentation of himself to others.

coloradokid719 I thought this was one of the most thought-provoking and powerful films I've ever seen based on this subject. When I read about this story awhile back, I was galled by what happened to her. J.D. Pardo and Mercedes Ruehl certainly shine in their performances. This should have been made as a major motion picture, and not relegated to being a made-for-TV movie. That being said, however, I salute Lifetime for being brave enough to produce it! It reminds me of another brave film, called "Soldier's Girl" from 2003, also a made-for-TV movie, which was also extremely well-done. A standing ovation for everyone involved in both of these productions!

beautifully_broken018 This story was on Lifetime last night. I'm a big supporter for GLBT community. I think they should be treated right I think they should be allowed to have their freedom I think they should be allowed to be them and not be ashamed, embarrassed,hated, killed, or beaten for be so. It was a good movie. J.D. Pardo was amazing as Gwen. She was beautiful in the movie and once I saw the real Gwen I still thought the same thing she was beautiful as both a girl and guy both on the inside and out. I have to say a few things got to me while watching it. I didn't like how her grandmother was like embarrassed of her and I didn't like how her mom went in and took all her make up and posters down. I also didn't like how her mom went and told Joey she was really a guy she should have let Gwen do that when she was ready to. I did however like how they finally realized this was who she was and accepted her. I didn't like how the attorney for her murders wanted her mom to blame society for her daughters murder instead of the guys. Society didn't kill her they did. I didn't like how the 2 guys only got 6 years. There are eventually going to be out on the street then what? How are other transponder,bisexuals,lesbians,gays going to be protected from them and people like them? What about Gwen and her family to me I don't think justice was served. They all should not be allowed out again. Another thing that got to me was that neither one was charged with committing a hate crime. They beat her for 5 hours strangled her, cut her, and buried her because the rumors of her being born a guy were true how can that not be considered a hate crime. I don't know this movie really touched me. I like shows like this that show how people really are. I look up to Gwen as a hero she was who she was. She was murdered for being her and not what other people wanted her to be and now she is dead she didn't deserve it. Hopefully people who see this movie will see what's going on and maybe one day it can be different. Rip Gwen.