Ploydsge just watch it!

Holstra Boring, long, and too preachy.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Mehdi Hoffman There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Aron Lewis I definitely felt "Soldier's Girl". It reminds me in almost every way of the discrimination caused towards African American's at one point in time. Except, it's somehow more baffling that America didn't learn from its past mistakes and tried to bar an entire group of people, until very recently, who were interested in protecting their country like everyone else, from being able to express themselves freely in the army."Don't Ask Don't Tell" is a really unintelligent policy. The fact of the matter is, somewhere along the line, someone may find out that one of their dorm mates may not be heterosexual. Completely on accident. And once this happens, the amount of harassment and abuse they will face could be insurmountable. Especially when you realize there are no rules to stop this and no one to run to, because these homosexuals aren't even supposed to exist. When you think about it, it's sad, and in some cases, disturbing."Soldier's Girl" does a great job of showing the audience what can happen. There are accurate and powerful performances by the two leads and the supporting cast, and the movie is just long enough to get its point across without making you over-analyze it.Overall, this movie comes highly recommended. I think everyone should watch it at least once.

myflyingjellybean This is the story of a soldier, Barry Winchell, and his girlfriend, a trans gender showgirl named Calpernia Adams. Barry is a private soldier in the airborne infantry and kind of had a very masculine image among the group. Barry, who is not gay, has little personal conflict when deciding to be with Calpernia and his friends from the infantry especially Fisher cannot not accept the fact that he is in love with a man. This movie made me cry when I watched it. The acting is superb, and the characters are realistically complicated and not at all watered down. The relationship between Barry and Calperina is lovingly drawn, and I really felt their connection throughout the film. This is such a sad movie because Barry was basically killed for being in love and because of the wrong assumption and hatred from his bunkmates.

gradyharp SOLDIER'S GIRL was released in 2003, a landmark, brave film that stirred a lot of controversy as well as a lot of plaudits for the superb work of cinema that it was. The story was written by Ron Nyswander ('Philadelphia', 'The Painted Veil', 'Mrs. Soffel' etc) and the director was Frank Pierson, also aligned with many important films as both writer and director ('Dog Day Afternoon', 'Cool Hand Luke', 'A Star is Born', 'Truman', 'Citizen Cohn', 'Presumed Innocent', etc). Obviously made on a low budget, the corners were cut where they should have been, not on the quality of the cast or the impact of the story. It was and remains a brilliant film. Barry Winchell (Troy Garity) is a sensitive, quiet soldier who is manacled by a homophobic roommate Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy). Justin takes Barry to a nightclub where the performers are 'guys in drag' as a challenge to understand Barry's somewhat subdued nature. There Barry observes performer Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace) and despite the negative atmosphere Justin has created, Barry connects with Calpernia. Calpernia is working to get the money to have her final transgender surgery: the reason she works in the club is to make enough to pay the bills and save for her surgery. Barry and Calpernia become a couple despite all the cautions they fully see. Barry's fellow soldier's do not understand how Barry can be attached to a 'freak' and despite Barry's love for Calpernia and Calpernia's protective outlook for Barry, the relationship is tested daily. Barry is ostracized by his soldier 'friends' and in a brutally honest scene, Barry is beaten to death by Fisher. How Calpernia endures and the fate of the perpetrators is decided leads to the ending of the film. In performances as real and powerful as those of Lee Pace and Troy Garity and yes, even Shawn Hatosy, the spectrum of the many permutations of the film are brilliantly delivered. All are excellent, but the extraordinary work by Lee Pace (who has since become a very important actor in many films) deserves as many awards as possible. The story is tough but exceptionally important, especially the manner in which it reveals the psychosocial and physical makeup of transgender people. The film is at once a stunning love story as well as an exposé of man's inhumanity to man and the rigid impact of the military still bound by ancient and crude rules of behavior. This is a film to see repeatedly for many reasons, not the least of which is that it has become a banner film for transgender citizens. It is based on a true story, a fact that makes it all the more painful to see. Grady Harp

thinker1691 It has always amazed me how our country professes it's superiority over other nations by proclaiming itself the epicenter of freedom, but it's nearly always the last to endorse it. It's noble attributes are not automatic, as each isolated, maligned and vilified segment of society has to endure ridicule until a certain number of deaths have accumulated to grudgingly acknowledge what others already accept. This is one extraordinary and courageous story about Barry Winchell (Troy Garity) who dreamed of being a soldier and serve his country. Believing he could do so with pride and honor, became an elite soldier and part of the Armed Forces. However he quickly learns, despite the overwhelming power of the military, it's still terrifies leaders that a gay man could virtually destroy the mightiest nation on earth with a forbidden kiss. Taken from the private life, military court records and public accounts of Barry Winchell, the young man visits a night club frequented by cross dressers, where he is attracted to and eventually falls in love with Calpernia Addams. (Lee Pace) Also known as 'Scottie' to his friends, the two begin a deep and passionate affair which led Barry to believe he had found true love. Unfortunately, bigoted fellow soldiers Justin Fisher and Calvin Glover (Shawn Hatosy, Philip Eddolls) become hate-filled adversaries of Barry and his lover and seek at first to torment and later to destroy their Homosexual relationship. What this film fails to accentuate is the ambivalent attitude of the military as it discovers to what length soldiers will go to destroy the personal choice of others. Touching and emotional, the film does allow some convincing interludes and compassionate notions between the two lovers. Indeed, their singular affair will at the very least give hope to other gays that eventually, the United States as well as the Military will accept the notion that there is more at stake than homophobic fear. ****