Had Soldier's Girl premiered during the war in Iraq it might have taken some heat off the Dixie Chicks with its portrayal of our troops as psychos, retards and idiots who overlook the danger signs in their fellow soldiers. (Of course Basic, which was similar in that regard, did come out during the war and nobody noticed.)
The point Soldier's Girl makes with sledgehammer subtlety is that the military is more concerned about harmless homosexuals in their midst than certifiable psychopaths who would rather murder their 'battle buddies' than let them suck dick in their off hours.
If you don't read the news section that last part may be a spoiler. The film's only hint is an introductory mention that this is a 'tragic love story.' It's also a true story about Pfc. Barry Winchell (Troy Garity), who was killed in 1999 after he fell in love with Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), a pre-op transsexual.
That Callie narrates the story is one reason the film seems more like it was made for Lifetime than Showtime. It's disappointing, considering its credentials. The writer, Ron Nyswaner, wrote Philadelphia, and director Frank Pierson wrote Dog Day Afternoon and directed the superior cable movie Citizen Cohn.
Barry, who has a bad brain but a good heart, reports for airborne infantry training at Fort Campbell, Ky., home of the 'Screaming Eagles.' Despite his learning disability and a previous problem with alcohol he's assigned as assistant gunner on a 40-mm grenade launcher and begins his struggle to qualify on the weapon (which we never see).
He's assigned to room with Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy of Borstal Boy and In & Out), a bossy type who is willing to be friendly as long as his leadership isn't challenged. 'No first names in the infantryunless you're a pussy,' Fisher tells Winchell. He also speaks of 'loyalty among men' as 'the only thing that matters.'
One weekend Fisher takes a bunch of the guys to see a drag show at Visions, a queer bar in Nashville. They go through the usual straight-boy stuff of not believing the performers are actually men and Fisher practically throws Winchell into Calpernia's arms on the pretext of a 'mission' to find out 'whether she's got a package or a gash.'
Winchell later finds Fisher with another performer but is informed, 'A man who gets a blowjob from a freak is not a freak.'
A connection is made between Barry and Callie. Callie's mentor, Ginger (Tulsi Balram, a real transgendered woman), a transsexual who is happily married to a straight man, asks if Barry is aware of her status. 'I think he knows,' she replies, 'or he knows as much as he wants to know.'
What Barry knows, after they get better acquainted, is that he loves Callie, whatever her gender. He loves her enough that, although he's never considered himself gay, when they make love he's willing to do what's necessary to satisfy her.
Private Winchell tries to keep his private life private but Fisher keeps prying. A new soldier arrives in their unit, Calvin Glover (Philip Eddolls, who played the killer in The Matthew Shepard Story), a babyfaced 17-year-old who is more accepting of Fisher's delusions of grandeur than the older men. Fisher starts using him as a tool so he can stir the shit without losing his own 'nice guy' status.
The story proceeds on two frontsthe romance between Barry and Calpernia, usually backed by k.d. lang songs; and Winchell's time at Fort Campbell, which becomes more difficult as rumors spread about his private life. Both lovers are in the running for awards. Sgt. Diaz has nominated Winchell as Soldier of the Month and stands by him even when he gets into fights with other soldiers. Callie is entered in a pageant for Miss Tennessee Entertainer of the Year.
Lee Pace, a man who donned prosthetic breasts that look convincing even in the nude scenes, gives the film's standout performance as Calpernia, who served in the Navy before beginning her transition. Pace makes her a person we care about as much as Barry does. Garity's Winchell is about 80 percent Adam Sandler and 15 percent John Turturro; there's not much originality there.
Perhaps the best thing about Soldier's Girl is its ambiguity. As Ginger says, 'Sexual orientation isn't black-and-white.' Winchell, while not shown as a saint, literally doesn't know what he's getting into when he falls in love with Calpernia, and Fisher's problems are hinted at with no conclusions drawn.
The love story is touching and believable but the portrait of the military is as one-dimensional in its way as the unvarnished heroism most of the media has shown us in recent months.
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