Disappointed a little.... - Different for Girls (1997) Discussion

[–] MDSR 19 years ago

Don't you think he lets go of his conventions towards the end and started to 'get it'? besides opposites attract.

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[–] shoeihell 19 years ago

Yeah, obviously Paul starts to "get it" after almost two hrs of he-man protesting. So then the question is; if Paul had no trouble defending 'Kim' in a boy's school environ, when Kim was still a boy, why was there so much trouble accepting his 'feeling' for Kim now as adults?

My point is, if you're a hetero and you have feelings for a woman, who is a woman in every way, why would you let the the fact that previously the 'woman' had been a boy, get in the way??

And so I turn this around on myself, i.e., if I met a guy and had feelings for him, we had sex and it was fine/great...then I find out he was once a girl AND an old schoolmate....how would that change anything? It wouldn't...change anything, it might even add to the relationship because we had 'history' together.

"No one is useless in the world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else."

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[–] MDSR 19 years ago

I disagree, if your going out/having sex etc with someone who you later find out has had a sex change and was a old school mate, it would change your feelings or ideas about that person. Not saying that your feelings would disappear but that because that person isn't a 'regular' woman or man you would see them differently at least in the beginning. I just think that the experiences that person has gone through, psychology and physically, makes them different from the majority and because of this the majority is obviously going to act or think differently about that person.

In the long run I don't think feeling toward that person would change dramatically but certainly at the beginning and I think this film is a great example of that. Society has filled our heads with so much filth that whether we like it or not, it's not that easy to let it go, so I think it's great to see the typical he-man in the film realise this and grow.

As to having a history with that person it would add to the relationship but also it must be incredibly strange to be best friends with someone during school and have this image of them for such a long time and then suddenly realise that person has changed. I think that would affect a relation.

I just love this film.

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[–] shoeihell 19 years ago

I guess then we agree to disagree.;-) I never said that some of one's ideas, preconceived notions and/or feelings wouldn't change a little about a post-op transgender person. Just that they shouldn't cloud the path to what looks like a great LTR in the making, by acting like a 15yr old teen boy from a working class background, complete with uncontrollable rage. Just because things are not dead-pan "normal/mainstream" about a person, doesn't mean that 'reason' wouldn't eventually take precedent.

I like the film as well, but MUCH more from the perspective and role of Kim, who I thought did an outstanding job. I don't think Paul is typical in he-man circles, more like clueless/twitish to the best thing romantically ever to happen in his life. So there, we disagree I guess...

"No one is useless in the world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else."

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] shoeihell 19 years ago

"Paul is ranting and raving so much because he is having to come to terms with the fact that he is attracted to Kim. It is something a lot of straight men go through when they start dating or are attracted to transies...pre-op or not."

Agreed, but I think he went 'over the top' into dumbsh*t status. I just got tired of watching Paul fight such a sweet opportunity there for him in Kim.

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[–] SofondaPeters 19 years ago

I would chalk this up to dramatic conflict. There needs to be a point to the story other than a meandering love story. The characters needed to evolve in the story. (I think - I ain't a refined or cultured person - and am just writing this off the top of my head.)

Maybe it's a flaw in the writing or the direction of the movie. I think something was wrong with the story, too, but I don't critisize the character, which is fictional. I thought the Paul character was cute and sweet and actually pretty enlightened as he was willing to see beyond his prejudices.

Any problems I had with the story were totally forgiven with that one line at the end about, "it fits" or something, which was one of the hottest lines I've ever heard on film.

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[–] shoeihell 19 years ago

"I would chalk this up to dramatic conflict. There needs to be a point to the story other than a meandering love story. The characters needed to evolve in the story. (I think - I ain't a refined or cultured person - and am just writing this off the top of my head.)

Maybe it's a flaw in the writing or the direction of the movie. I think something was wrong with the story, too, but I don't critisize the character, which is fictional. I thought the Paul character was cute and sweet and actually pretty enlightened as he was willing to see beyond his prejudices.

Any problems I had with the story were totally forgiven with that one line at the end about, "it fits" or something, which was one of the hottest lines I've ever heard on film."

I don't know that I'd venture to say the film is "flawed" My take is that the director(s) thought it crucial to the plot to make Paul look like the most stubborn, wretchedly hetero, clueless, he-man that they could possible pass off in this situation. Nothing could have been more boring to me.

The transformation could have been faster, more time for real romance (which was at the heart of the movie), maybe some more sex scenes and together in public at last as a real couple.

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[–] SofondaPeters 19 years ago

You know, that is actually a very good comment. I think you hit the nail on the head there. I knew there was something that seemed "not right" and I think, like you said, that it took too long for Paul to come to grips with the situation. More time could have been spent exploring the potentials for this type of love.

Thanks for helping me to see this more clearly.

By the way, I'm a little different from you in the sense that I think "stubborn, wretchedly hetero, clueless, he-men" are sort of hot. It's a problem, I realize.

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[–] shoeihell 19 years ago

"By the way, I'm a little different from you in the sense that I think "stubborn, wretchedly hetero, clueless, he-men" are sort of hot. It's a problem, I realize."

No, it's not really a "problem" at all...just a preference. And within our gay community there is a lot of diversity when it comes to soul mates, thank gawd. Me...I go for the really sweet, sensitive guy who can be honest with himself. Outwardly, I look and act like a 'Paul' (well, not that clueless), but it belies who I am inside and has just become a defensive shield over the yrs.
;-)

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[–] hilljayne 19 years ago

{possible spoiler}Well Prentice is like a number of straight men who find themselves attracted to transies. He is confused because he is attracted to her and is reacting by being an obnoxious he-man. I do believe he exposes himself after they have been drinking. Regardless, at the end he is now comfortable with himself and his love for Kim.

Professional Jayne Mansfield fanatic/lover™ since 1980.

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[–] shoeihell 19 years ago

"{possible spoiler}Well Prentice is like a number of straight men who find themselves attracted to transies. He is confused because he is attracted to her and is reacting by being an obnoxious he-man. I do believe he exposes himself after they have been drinking. Regardless, at the end he is now comfortable with himself and his love for Kim."

Yeah, we've talked about all that. By comparison and a real story at that, "Soldier's Girl" was a lot more along the lines of developing a real romance without all the lengthy ‘he-man’ protesting.

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] dkpark60 18 years ago

I loved this movie, and thought that it was very perceptive about Kim and her emotional conflicts. I do agree that Prentice was a bit much sometimes, although I saw his behavior as being more run-of-the-mill juvenile than he-man posturing. I too would have liked to see them together through more of the film. I thought the movie lost the most time and momentum in the useless sister sideplot. Something to do with sexual relationships being based on more than procreation? Anyone else have any thoughts on why they bothered to include it?

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[–] shoeihell 18 years ago

"I loved this movie, and thought that it was very perceptive about Kim and her emotional conflicts. I do agree that Prentice was a bit much sometimes, although I saw his behavior as being more run of the mill juvenile than he-man posturing. I too would have liked to see them together through more of the film. I thought the movie lost the most time and momentum in the useless sister sideplot. Something to do with sexual relationships being based on more than procreation? Anyone else have any thoughts on why they bothered to include it?"

I think it was in fact, very "juvenile, he-man posturing"...to combine your two terms. I had to strain my brain to remember the side "sister plot". I'm not sure I'd go that far with your assessment. I think it was to show us more of the dynamics with Kim's blood family...how accepting they were or not. It rounded out her character and made her more real to us. Anyway, the true 'lost footage' comes form Prentice's head crap....what a love story that could have been.....with his sexual energy and her long history loving him.

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[–] skiop 15 years ago

Have you read Roger Ebert's review? He suspects that Paul was always in love with Carl, but when Carl became Kim, Paul felt that he could actually express his feelings.

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[–] shoeihell 15 years ago

Interesting!! But if that was indeed the plot rendering....why did Paul protest so much about it and seem like the whole scenario with 'Kim' was blowing his mind? So then Paul, would be attracted to a very feminized gay male or a MTF trans. Possible of course....I wonder if there is anywhere we could dig into the minds of the writer/producer?

"...and don't call on Him to save you from your social graces and the sins you wish to waive"

Approve REF.71

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[–] peterquince 18 years ago

This movie started out very strong and intelligent, then the whole story fell apart. Paul's imbecilic behavior started to wear VERY thin, and the whole romance became implausible because of it. Why would Kim want to be with a loser like Paul? I didn't see any attraction on her part, or why she would want to aid/abet his criminal behaviors. I was so disappointed in this film. I read a review that gave it 5 stars, and I was hoping for a serious (if comedic) love story. Oh, well. As I said, about 10 minutes of the film weren't bad.

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[–] shoeihell 18 years ago

That was my point repeated above.....I grew really tired of 'Paul' and what a perfectly great thing he had in the palm of his hand, only to make us suffer in his 14ish street punk behavior through most of the film. Whoever gave it a "five star" rating was incredibly daft....

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[–] Harlesden_P_Ruffkins 17 years ago

Just be glad Kim or Prentis didn't end up dead at the end.

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[–] skiop 15 years ago

Yeah. I find it odd that Paul was so accepting of his gay high-school friend and defended him, but had such a hard time with him being a her. Now, for what Kim saw in him... well, he was gorgeous.

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[–] shoeihell 15 years ago

I think we're supposed to believe that while Paul supported his gay friend in HS from bullies and taunting, a sex change operation is a whole other kettle of fish.

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[–] klc-16 14 years ago

Are you out of your mind? Who could possibly think this was supposed to be a "comedic farce"?

A guy dressed up as a girl - be it for drag OR for transexualism - is not automatically comedic OR a farce. and NOTHING in this film eve tries for comedy... REALISM is closer to the truth.

DUH !

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[–] shoeihell 14 years ago

The 'comedic clown' in the movie is Paul. How he accepts Kim (and himself) was my original beef in that he protests too much (even for a clueless hetero) and the movie spends an inordinate amount of time on it. The rest of my comments about the transgender community, you just skipped over in a small effort to have yourself heard.

"...and don't call on Him to save you from your social graces and the sins you wish to waive"

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