Carlotta

This movie Brought back so many memories of friends, a nd acquaintances from my early 20's when i was living in Sydney in the early 1980's. Rite up till 2007 I've personally met Carlotta on a number of occasions socially and professionally.I'm so lucky to have had the privilege of even working with many of Sydney's show girls making long life friends This film is really moving. actually a real tear jerker for me. Great real life story of what really went on in those days . I know cos I was there amongst it all living locally in Kings Cross and Darlinghurst and without a doubt "Quite frankly darlings" if you haven't seen it, its an absolute must watch. Love it, love it, love it. "Congratulations Carol " love from Adrian , in my heart forever! ...mean it x x x

As good as Jessica Marais is as an actress, it is an obvious case of miscasting for her to have been chosen to play a role which is so much calling-out to be portrayed by an actor and not an actress. Did Carlotta select Ms Marais simply to be recognised as a very beautiful and svelte woman of incredible feminine appeal? Realistically, Carlotta should have been assigned to the talents of a professional drag-queen such as Courtney Act. The whole movie collapses simply because we can not visualise the stunning Jessica Marais as having ever been a boy! After all, it would have suited the purposes of the plot for viewers to actually witness a man delivering the attributes required for a transgender to make the grade as a successful showgirl.

I was browsing for Alex Dimitriades films through the Tubi search engine and came across Carlotta. Oh well, I decided to watch the movie for Alex- billed as Angelo.

He wasn't even in this film long enough to acknowledge his presence. Of the few scenes he is in a few of the crowd scenes at the nightclub, he kisses his Transvestite lover and smacks his Transvestite lover on the behind. Later on, we, the viewer, find Angelo ditched his Transvestite lover and is shacking up with a stripper. Anybody could have played the part of Angelo. Was Alex that desperate for a paycheck?

As for this type of film, I liked I Want What I Want with Anne Heywood better.

Carlotta is the story of Richard Byron a young boy first played by Kai Lewins (definitely one to look out for) who was never like the other boys who he preferred dressing up in his mother's clothes, makeup and jewellery and had a unhappy childhood as he was psychically abused by his stepfather and so from the age of 16 now the role taken over by Jessica Marais moves to Kings Cross to work in a department store where meets Ava/Danny (Eamon Farren) and Christopher (Socratis Otto) who take Richard under their wing and introduce him to the world of drag and cabaret shows. Alex Dimitriades is brilliant as ever as Ava's abusive boyfriend Angelo, Anita Heigh is exceptional as Richard/Carol's mother who is a victim in a loveless marriage and Ryan Johnson is amazing the love of Carol's life Peter who loves her for she is a person. Overall the movie is an A grade production with the whole cast, amazing costumes and thank you director Samantha Lang and writer David Hanam and Carlotta for bringing this to the screen.

Truly inspiring film great courage and I truly admire her!k