Hedwig & the Angry Inch (2001)

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I’d heard this was a great film way before I saw it, which can sometimes be the kiss of death for a moviegoer (for example, Sleepless in Seattle—I hated it). But really, this movie is so far beyond opinions that it wouldn’t matter what I thought—it’s incredible, all opinions aside.

The screenplay is based on the off-Broadway musical, which both star the inexplicably talented John Cameron Mitchell. The story line is a little bizarre to describe; suffice to say it involves an East Berlin rock singer drag queen outcast who must deal with the boy she loves, the boy who loves her, her selfishness, loneliness and simultaneous stardom through her music. Much of the monologues in the film come from the musical, so they have a very lyrical sound to them (especially with Hedwig’s accent!). Also, movies can tend to try to get away with a lesser-quality script, but not so here. With whole texts straight out of the stage show, the writing is proven top-notch.

As mentioned before, this is a musical, but unlike some in this genre will not alienate you because of its music. I think that is the primary skepticism among a lot of people about musicals, that there are these random breaks in plot that the moviemakers use to stick in a corny song or two, but if a musical is done right—as it is undoubtedly done so here—the songs are integral parts of the film. Naturally, since Hedwig started as a stage musical, in this particular case the music is one of its strongest points. Ranging from punk-out rock to bittersweet ballads, Mitchell belts out the most intimate experiences of Hedwig’s life. The “angry inch” in the title refers to her botched sex-change operation, which left her less than a man but never able to be a woman: “Six inches forward, five inches back/I’ve got an angry inch.”

I know this review is getting long, but there are a couple other things I must mention—first, the animation. I’ve never seen a movie that has integrated animation like this into it’s emotional framework. With the music, it’s gorgeous. Second, the range of issues it deals with. It’s weird because you look at what this movie is talking about, and you think, “This has absolutely no relevance to my life.” But then you see it, and everything is so human, and out of the blue you understand completely what Hedwig is going through. It’s a strange phenomenon. Also, the direction. Did I mention John Cameron Mitchell not only stars in both versions, wrote the screenplay, but also directed the movie? I can’t even imagine being able to sing, direct, act, and wear a huge blond wig and heels like that at the same time. Luckily, his actors are incredibly talented—in particular Miriam Shor, who absolutely blew me away as Hedwig’s overly devoted, underappreciated guitarist husband. She is amazing. I loved her.