A Trans Love Story Review: Emotional Trans Love Story Creates Emotional Impact in Striking First Feature

The Dublin-set young adult love story begins naturally, set on October 31st in the Irish capital where university students are partying in an empty location.

Sports enthusiast Jason (a newcomer actor) is talking to hopeful indie film-maker Charlie (Liath Hannon); their exchange is relaxed and intense, light-hearted and significant, like life.

“I’m in character as an confident athlete,” says Jason.

The audience sees him receiving comments in the changing facility for getting his pierced ears. Viewers can practically see his heart thumping in his chest talking to Charlie, identifying as transgender.

A Night Through the Urban Landscape

They venture together exploring the Dublin streets; they reach out to a local contact to get sparklers instead of illegal substances and capture moments with a vintage camera.

They face no interference from them. The feature is soft and endearing up to a surprising disclosure – a turn that will require a stiff test of your capacity to embrace the fictional, bordering on awkward.

Appeal and Naturalism Carry the Film

Yet the appeal and pleasing authentic delivery of roles from fresh faces Lunnon-Collery and Hannon makes it work. Lunnon-Collery is notably strong as his character, full of kindness and charm on the outside.

Credit is due to the screenplay by new director the writer-director, which grows compelling as the film progresses, bringing in concepts about second thoughts and the fallibility of memory.

Self-Image and Guilt

Jason experiences a shake to his view of himself: his assurance in himself as the decent individual, a friend to the needy. He experiences a rush of shame over a situation from his earlier life, occurrences that he has reinterpreted in his recollection to take the sting out.

An impressive initial feature.