Tangerine: iPhone Shot Narrative About Transgender Prostitutes Is the Future of Filmmaking

Genre: Comedy, Drama
 
Director: Sean Baker
 
Writers: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
 
Stars: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian

Synopsis: A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. (C) Magnolia

The synopsis of Tangerine needs more explaining before this review.  When Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) gets out of jail, she finds out from her friend and fellow escort Alexandra (Mya Taylor) that her pimp boyfriend has been cheating on her. (“Like a real bitch, vagina and everything.”) Add to the element that both of these complex characters are transgender and are beginning to feel comfortable for who they truly are.  She is on a rapid-fire mission to locate the guy to confront him about the infidelity. Set during a wild Christmas Eve, Tangerine is a fascinating narrative that is never dull.

The absorbing comedy/drama Tangerine will engross art house audiences eager to look for serious and experimental alternatives. A cinematic feat that was shot on an iPhone and an impressive filmmaking accomplishment. Many movies go through the motions while on screen avoiding any forms of naturalism and reality. In contrast, Tangerine feels so kinetic, alive, and unpredictable. Through out the running time, I continued to be amazed with how it was shot. The look for the film from angles to colors is a breakthrough. Even though audiences get a glimpse of the seedy side of the business it includes much needed biting sarcasm and catty dialogue for the relief of tension. Director Sean Baker provides a comedic energy to a movie that one would expect to be predictably a heavy handed and emotionally charged drama.

Tangerine feels so kinetic, alive, and unpredictable.

Another terrific characteristic about Tangerine are the remarkable performances from both Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor. What Sean Baker captures on an iPhone is nothing more than miraculous. They are radiant and vibrant in a grim environment making a living in an uncomfortable profession. Tangerine features an unique soundtrack which is a emergence of hip-hop, techno and, even at times, classical orchestral merge together to create something rather special. I just started listening to the soundtrack on Spotify and really dig it. Director Sean Baker admitted in an interview that he used Vine and SoundCloud with networking/discovering the artists of the movie’s soundtrack. The music is the pulse that leads to a third act that unfolds into a rather complex confrontation involving multiple parties which clash with one another as accusations fly and secrets are revealed.

Tangerine was a big hit when it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival causing quite a buzz in the cinephile community. I don’t think this will play well with mainstream audiences but am confident this could break out with achieving a respected following among the art house crowd. Wanting to label this a transgender buddy comedy sets up a level of expectation the movie could never achieve nor even tries to be. This is beyond labels. The legacy of Tangerine will last beyond the small, but I think mighty, box office performance and VOD. Once people discover this like on Netflix, it will churn creativity within next generation filmmakers. This low scale, but hyper smart-phone production is a selfie-stick of organic, guerrilla cinema that will inspire the micro-budget film industry. Welcome to 21^st century movie making.