Miss

One pretty good and solid performance from Alexander. Nice photography. Good pop music, and nice roll play. Not a comic movie more of a drama, make laugh once

Since his teens Alex has wanted only one thing - to become Miss France. The problem is - he is boy.

At the age of 24 Alex is trying to attempt just that - to participate in a competition that will propel him to stardom. Now he needs to become a woman if not in the flesh, then in look and spirit. His helpers are his quirky family of neighbours - all outsiders in their own right, plus a childhood friend, a famous boxer, who will help him build his fighting spirit. Will Alex be able to achieve the impossible and what price will he have to pay?

Director Ruben Alves (The Gilded Cage) loves to populate his films with quirky memorable characters and MISS is no exception. The boarding house where a middle aged cross dresser, two drug dealing wannabes, Indian sweatshop workers who don't speak French and where all are ruled by an always grumpy landlady, is a great setting for a comedy about serious issues. While providing plenty of laugh out loud moments and delivering some hard to swallow twists, the film demands to be taken seriously when the story concerns the dilemmas of the protagonists.

Under someone else's clumsy hand MISS could have turned into a preachy and boring politically correct drama. Ruben Alves manages to provide the exact balance of funny and sad, with plenty of irony and humour, creating a lighthearted atmosphere that is, above all, genuinely entertaining.

MISS would never have worked without its star Alexander Wetter, who makes this outrageous scenario a believable one. He is the heart and the soul of the film. It is a surprisingly deep and poignant performance.

MISS is a modern Cinderella story where a prince and a princess come in the same package. It's about accepting who you are, striving for greatness against all odds.

The movie has a few things to say. But it also let's you fill in some blanks. It also tries to walk a very fine line - being respectful and trying to give us a very personal journey - and being a bit of a social commentary as well. I would argue it does not succeed always, but it is trying very hard and it does a lot to be inclusive and give you perspectives you may not have.

Of course it can be frustrating to not have certain answers. But that is what the movie is based on. The fact that our main character is does not feel like either gender. He/she even says so during the movie. Born male, but wanting to win a Miss Beauty peagant. Sounds impossible ... right? But is it really? Or should it be? Or are those beauty contest things even relevant today? To those participating they sure are.

And while most of them know why they are there ... we never truly figure out why our main character is there. It's not like the main character has a real answer to give. Well he/she has quite the impressive dialog that deals with sexism - and you may take this as the main reason.

And while the movie has hardships and a lot of things that are wrong with our society, it also seems to have a lot of false or rather convenient hope and good things happening. People applauding and cheering way more than it would be the case in reality. But if you suspend your disbelief and just go with the flow ... like one of the rivals does. And quite frankly also for unknown reasons ... it seems like the biggest hurdle for our main character is ... the self, the inner doubt.

Which again is saying a lot too (and the pressure from outside is very real still, family but everyone else too), but it is interesting to see how "easy" he/she actually has it ... and while that would be an ideal world, it is not the one we live in currently. Maybe in the future any controversy this sparks (or sparked) will be seen as redundant. Things change - male colors have become associated with females for example and all that.

A tough subject and a really tough movie - even with all the "help" that is given. Being inclusive and helping a fellow human is always a good option - and movie magic seems to make some of that happen ... but will it be enough?

My expectations were rather modest, but Miss is actually a really good movie. An example of tragicomedy at its finest, it is touching yet full of typical French banter. There is a magical sense of hope throughout the whole movie, shining through the highs and lows the protagonist is going through. The whole cast makes for a colorful ensemble and does a terrific job. Main character Alex looks almost ethereal and deserves a spot in the pantheon of lgbtqia+ cinema.

Extra points for the contemporary yet original soundtrack, as well as the spot-on social critique, which is effortlessly intertwined with the story and beyond the struggles of Alex personally.

Astonishing performance from lead actor Alexandre Wetter and quite good cast around him. I enjoyed this movie with my 12 and 14 years old daughters, despite the plot being a little caricatural and not plausible on certain "details" (the way the Miss France TV show is organized for instance). There's some fun, but it's more a drama than a comedy. I really recommend this movie.