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9

TimbarosNov 29, 2015

Two transgender prostitutes tear up Santa Monica Boulevard in the brilliant new film 'Tangerine.' In a week that also sees the releases of Michael Fassbender in 'Steve Jobs' and Dame Maggie Smith in 'Lady in a Van,' Tangerine' is far andTwo transgender prostitutes tear up Santa Monica Boulevard in the brilliant new film 'Tangerine.' In a week that also sees the releases of Michael Fassbender in 'Steve Jobs' and Dame Maggie Smith in 'Lady in a Van,' Tangerine' is far and above the best film of the three.

It is one of the most funny and original films of the year. and stars two transgender actresses in the lead roles, roles that will make them both stars.

Mya Taylor is Alexandra, and Kitana Kiki Rodriquez is Sin-Dee (yes, Sin-Dee), it's Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, and Sin-Dee has just got out of jail after spending 28 days for holding drugs for her pimp boyfriend Chester (James Ransom). She finds out, from Alexandra, that Chester has been having sex with Dinah (Mickey O'Hagan), so Sin-Dee goes on a mission to find Dinah and then to confront Chester. And Alexandra is having her own drama - she's performing at a local bar that night and has passed out fliers to everyone she knows. Meanwhile, she's got one of her regular customers, Razmik (Karren Karaguilian), looking for her. Razmik has problems of his own, he's attracted to transgender prostitutes, but he's married with a young daughter at home. He's also got his nosy mother-in-law visiting for the holidays.

Sin-Dee finds Dinah in a motel room with several other prostitutes and their naked male customers, so she literally kidnaps her and then heads to confront Chester. Alexandra, meanwhile, scuffles with a customer who doesn't feel like he should pay her because he didn't come. But she does have sex with Razmik in a brilliant uncut sex scene in a car wash. All these characters converge together at the local Donut Shop as they confront each other about infidelity in a very dramatic and hilarious ending. Tangerine is a Christmas tale not of the typical Christmas kind.

Shot on three iphone 5s' on a $105,000 budget, Tangerine is not the sort of movie you would expect to be dazzling, funny, dramatic, adventurous and original, but it is. Thanks to the many elements that bring this 88-minute film to fruition which make it so; the guerrilla style filmmaking is excellently created by Director, Editor, Co-Cinematographer and Co-Writer Sean Baker (co-written along with Chris Bergoch). And the actors are fantastic. Baker initially met Taylor at the Los Angeles Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer Community Center, and she introduced him to all her friends, including Rodriquez, which is how 'Tangerine' came to be, and these two actresses more than carry the movie, they are the movie, you can't take your eyes off them. The rest of the cast is also brilliant; especially Karaguilian (who is a professional actor) brings sympathy to his role as a man trying to do the right thing but who also harbours a secret, and O'Hagan as the 'other' woman who is literally dragged around Los Angeles by Sin-Dee in the search for Chester. The Los Angeles neighborhood where this film is shot feels like another character in the film; the hued and hazzy skies, cheap motels, strange people and very cheap fast food restaurants litter the area. And the music (and script) is cutting edge; pulsating, loud, sharp, a perfect match for a film with characters who are the same, who spew lines such as 'He just went from half **** to full **** to 'You forget I've got a dick too,' and 'you don't have to Chris Brown the **** with copious amounts of the word **** and 'whore.' 'Tangerine is a smorgasbord of wit and sarcasm. It's also brilliant and must be seen to be believed.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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7

FilmPhonicNov 22, 2015

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a film which is more timely and representative of 2015 western culture than ‘Tangerine’, an urban comedy/drama indie filmed entirely on Apple iPhones, featuring a cast of transsexuals and recent immigrants, andYou’ll be hard-pressed to find a film which is more timely and representative of 2015 western culture than ‘Tangerine’, an urban comedy/drama indie filmed entirely on Apple iPhones, featuring a cast of transsexuals and recent immigrants, and starring two transgender women as prostitutes in a series of misadventures on the streets of L.A.

‘Tangerine’ is an unconventional and slightly tragic screwball comedy/drama where the lives of pimps, prostitutes and their clientele are uncomfortably and hilariously thrown together.

Produced by major indie players the Duplass Brothers and written/directed by indie darling Sean Baker, ‘Tangerine’ was filmed on location in a notorious Santa Monica area near Hollywood where pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers ply their trade.

By using basic and accessible technology while casting leads with “experience” in the industry and area, Baker has achieved an ultra- realist view of L.A. that’s seldom seen, and has candidly depicted a subculture that has until now been largely ignored by media, all while crafting an outrageous comedy/drama that consistently walks the line between gritty and sleazy.

Clearly inspired by guerrilla filmmaking and indie heavyweights like John Waters and Jim Jarmusch , director Sean Baker delivers a vibrant and often uncomfortable cinematic experience that’s neither judgemental or sympathetic. Despite a dysfunctional and unexpectedly touching relationship between the two central working girls, clearly reminiscent of ‘Midnight Cowboy’, none of the characters are particularly sympathetic while the men suffer a particularly savage depiction that’s a thinly veiled theme of the movie.

Despite the critical acclaim so far, ‘Tangerine’ may be a divisive film for a larger general audience who may not be ready to deal with such a bold representation of the more marginalised people in modern western society. Although the film is sequential and easy to follow, there is a lot of filler. Expect the now ubiquitous dramatic indie synth-pop and electronic music sequences, in the form of endless overly stylistic purposeful walking scenes, which when removed, would probably make ‘Tangerine’ a 40min short.

The Bottom Line…
Outrageously funny and often uncomfortable to watch if somewhat flawed, ‘Tangerine’ is groundbreaking guerrilla indie filmmaking in both narrative and production, an unflinching look at the lives of the more marginalised in modern society.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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9

mstiversJan 3, 2016

Energetic, funny, and original. I love that so much of it is subtitled Armenian... that family dynamic seemed so real and painful. The intersection between the immigrants and transgenders, two marginalized groups with seemingly nothing elseEnergetic, funny, and original. I love that so much of it is subtitled Armenian... that family dynamic seemed so real and painful. The intersection between the immigrants and transgenders, two marginalized groups with seemingly nothing else in common, is what really puts this movie over the top for me. You can criticize some of the production aspects but this movie is the real deal.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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9

katezoeDec 4, 2015

Loved every minute of this ourtrageous comedy of two best girl friends. On the another hand it is a hard look at people living on the fringe of mainstream and how society does not understand them.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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8

jesseurbancsikDec 2, 2015

For the small budget and unknown actresses, this film really is making a grand debut and it deserves it! Great acting, cool shots and awesome music! Indie films are really making a hit this year!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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8

netflicJul 20, 2015

A true essence of any art form is empathy. All protagonists in this movie are on the fringe of the society, living in a seedy Hollywood underbelly: cross-gender prostitutes, pimps, mentally imbalanced people. And yet this movie, with it'sA true essence of any art form is empathy. All protagonists in this movie are on the fringe of the society, living in a seedy Hollywood underbelly: cross-gender prostitutes, pimps, mentally imbalanced people. And yet this movie, with it's melancholic vibe, evokes feeling of affinity, of understanding that all people search for connection and love.

Beautifully cut story, with great acting and directing . Having lived in this neighborhood helped to enjoy and understand the movie better.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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7

LamontRaymondJul 12, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie starts off with a BANG, and I thought it could have been one of the freshest, most interesting movies of the last few years. Unfortunately, it gets mired in the "side" story of this cab driver and his family. Gets highly depressing until it lightens up a bit toward the end. But it's still a pretty amazing achievement that the entire film was created using an iPhone 5s. The two lead "actresses" are terrific in the film - highly sympathetic.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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7

hotfromcauldronJul 22, 2015

Tangerine is the most “foreign” American film I’ve seen in ages. An Altmanesque trip over a couple of hours through a couple of blocks with a couple of chicks - that starts and ends at the right moments.
Baker’s delight of cracklingTangerine is the most “foreign” American film I’ve seen in ages. An Altmanesque trip over a couple of hours through a couple of blocks with a couple of chicks - that starts and ends at the right moments.
Baker’s delight of crackling performances, vibrant kalaidescope colors and raw frenetic energy is captured on an iPhone. And the large cast of characters - estranged bedfellows , a dysfunction family and friends who got your back - are fully fleshed out with a gamut of emotions and plenty of “high” drama. Tangerine puts a face on the people of Caitlyn Jenner’s crusade - drawing us into their world - through laughter and sorrow.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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8

LowbrowCinemaJul 22, 2015

TANGERINE is one terrifically modern, gritty film. The first indie in a while that truly engaged me and made me feel the excitement of the street. Director Sean Baker perfectly captures the real LA in less than 90 minutes. And it's all inTANGERINE is one terrifically modern, gritty film. The first indie in a while that truly engaged me and made me feel the excitement of the street. Director Sean Baker perfectly captures the real LA in less than 90 minutes. And it's all in service to one terrifically wacky, funny, old fashioned, but profoundly current story. Kudos all around… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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1

FilmSchooledJul 24, 2015

BAD EXECUTION of good intentions. I nearly walked out after 15 minutes (it was like sitting in Film Prod.1 again, with every mistake demo'ed (let's cross the 180, forget to white balance, use jarring random 20 seconds cuts of disparate musicBAD EXECUTION of good intentions. I nearly walked out after 15 minutes (it was like sitting in Film Prod.1 again, with every mistake demo'ed (let's cross the 180, forget to white balance, use jarring random 20 seconds cuts of disparate music cause we can't afford to pay for a consistent track.) Really AWFUL. The trannie-actors are winning enough once they warm up ... but character's are one note 90% of the time. I too don't get why it's a critical darling ... it's more sleazy than gritty, ugly-amateurish than avant garde and the characters are more petty-cruel to each other than deep-loyal (though there are a few moments.) It's a B-movie: overacted, badly crafted slice-of-life melodrama. Save you time and aesthetics!… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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0

Marnie71Dec 26, 2015

This is a dreadful piece of film making and it's completely beyond me why anyone would rate it so highly. The acting is dire, the script ridiculous. It's not just bad, it's diabolical. If this is what currently garners rave reviews, thenThis is a dreadful piece of film making and it's completely beyond me why anyone would rate it so highly. The acting is dire, the script ridiculous. It's not just bad, it's diabolical. If this is what currently garners rave reviews, then cinema is screwed indeed. I love a film with indie sensibilities, but, whether pro or not, the actors have to be able to actually act. Appalling.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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2

SavvyJul 24, 2015

Amateurish: acting, editing, photography. There is no lighting design. The 1st 45 minutes are PUNISHING: stilted dialogue (esp. in street scenes), blown out shots (shooting into sun or bright windows), unintentional jump cuts, omg ... like aAmateurish: acting, editing, photography. There is no lighting design. The 1st 45 minutes are PUNISHING: stilted dialogue (esp. in street scenes), blown out shots (shooting into sun or bright windows), unintentional jump cuts, omg ... like a highschool film student's first try. Eventually ... w-a-y into the film, bit start to fall together and you feel a bit for the hapless hookers. THEN the lead attacks other street-person, drags her about for a few hours, slapping her and punching her face into bars and walls when she tries to get away (this, I guess is "funny" street justice? Both leads and their john trash another persons life in ending climax ... and all think it's amusing. I lost my smidgeon of empathy about then. Yes, its a side of life we arthouse folk don't often see: blowjobs in carwashes, trans folk dissing each other at every turn (everyone they pass is a "hateful **** BUT I don NOT get the stellar, 'heartfelt' reviews. I'm pro LGBT. But this movie is just hokey craftwise and MEAN character wise and uneven storywise. It's LESS than mediocre, with a few bright moments.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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8

j1trainJul 26, 2015

A small triumph of empathy. An intensely original, absorbing piece of indie filmmaking. The cast is terrific, especially Mya Taylor as Alexandra. Shot on an iPhone, it looks made-for-Instagram and sometimes has a music-video quality, but isA small triumph of empathy. An intensely original, absorbing piece of indie filmmaking. The cast is terrific, especially Mya Taylor as Alexandra. Shot on an iPhone, it looks made-for-Instagram and sometimes has a music-video quality, but is always interesting to look at. Roger Ebert said the movies are "a machine that generates empathy," and this is one stylish machine.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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7

ScraperDec 27, 2015

Originality of material lays a great framework for Tangerine. Two transgender prostitutes are basically wound up and let loose. The camera work is frenetic and the dialog will keep you on your toes. I really wanted to see the characters putOriginality of material lays a great framework for Tangerine. Two transgender prostitutes are basically wound up and let loose. The camera work is frenetic and the dialog will keep you on your toes. I really wanted to see the characters put to the test with a variety of situations. But the end result was entertaining as if you're in the entourage. Good film.… Expand