There's a lot of talk about "Tangerine." From the moment it premiered at Sundance earlier this year, it instantly became known as 'the movie that was shot on entirely on an iPhone.' Director/Writer/Producer Sean S. Baker did indeed film the movie using an iPhone, three of them to be exact; The film was made for only $100,000 and Baker used a Mac Book's Final Cut Pro to edit the project.
Now, the film has been kicking up awards chatter. "Orange Is The New Black" star and everywoman Laverne Cox hosted a screening of the film this past week (one that I was invited to, but ultimately could not attend) for voters of the Academy Awards. The goal? To get the film's stars Mya Taylor and Kiki Rodriguez some awards buzz. The two just made history as the first trans actresses to be nominated for Independent Spirt Awards, while Taylor won the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Performance this past week.
So yes, there's a lot of talk, all of it is incredibly deserved. "Tangerine" is not only one of the best movies you'll see this year, but it's one of the best indie films to be released in some time. In a world filled with films like "Gravity" and a thousand super hero movies, this tiny film reminds us all that there's still actual magic left in the medium of film.
The film is set in the present on Christmas Eve in Los Angeles. Sin-Dee Rella (Rodriguez) just completed some time in jail, and is back on the streets as a sex worker. As she looks forward to reuniting with her pimp/lover Chester (James Ransone), her best friend Alexandra (Taylor) informs her that he's been unfaithful to her during her time away. Sin-Dee is further enraged over the fact that his mistress is cisgender.
As Sin-Dee walks all across L.A. trying to find Chester and his "fish" (slang for cisgendered women), Alexandra prepares for her stage show over in West Hollywood, while trying to earn some extra money in the meantime.
We have been introduced to characters like Sin-Dee and Alexandra before, although very briefly, and never like this. "Tangerine" is so groundbreaking, because it never reduces them to caricatures like so many other films have in the past. Baker never lets us forget that Alexandra and Sin-Dee are human beings, flaws and all. These are women, who happen to be trans, who happen to have been forced into being sex workers, but that point is never exploited for dramatic effect. We are shown the discrimination these women face for being who they are, but Baker's fantastic screenplay highlights the beautiful camaraderie between these two, despite everything.
Even the smaller, bit, characters are fully fleshed out and given real depth, sometimes to hilarious effect. Despite being filmed on a couple of iPhone 5S's, the scope is just as grand and as masterfully executed as a lot of the bigger budget films currently in theaters. The beautiful palette, with all of its beautiful orange skies, fills each frame like a postcard from a gift shop. The pace is as loud, zany and as quick as the retorts Sin-Dee and Alexandra shout back at one another; I loved every second of it, and the ending brings the whole story full circle in a way a lot of movies fail to do.
As for Taylor and Rodriguez, all of the praise they're currently experiencing is completely, 100% deserving. Their work is a testament to the high level of work being done by women this year. Though Taylor is being campaigned in the supporting category, she is truly a co-lead. Not in the same sense as Rooney Mara from "Carol," although Rodriguez and Taylor's chemistry is very similar to Mara and Cate Blanchett'sl; These two carry the film on their backs.
I truly doubt the Academy has the balls to recognize such an amazing film. But as historic and as monumental as that would be, I don't think it's necessary. Because what's important is that these two women got a chance to finally tell their own stories, in all of its truth and genuine emotion. A film like this got made, and though it's frustrating to see lesser variations of stories such as these get rewarded (*cough* "The Danish Girl" *cough), we will always have this film, and that's something special. The campaigning on Cox's part, and the awards bodies that do recognize this film, only add to this exposure. Hopefully, this will inspire others to sit down and watch it, and hopefully we get more stories and more films that are this beautiful and exciting.
Grade: A-
Oscar Chances: Rodriguez and Taylor are the film's best chances at recognition, but in a better world, it would be a contender in Picture, Screenplay, and Director. I truly hope the critics can shine a light on this film.
"Tangerine" is on Netflix, so you have no excuse not to be watching. GO! WATCH!
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