CinemaSpeak
by Dan Tester
May 26, 2003
The words "Based On A True Story" at the beginning of a movie always gives me pause for concern. It seems that far too often these five simple words at the outset often serve as more of a crutch for the filmmakers than a benefit to the viewer. What I mean is, complex tales are often told with a certain lack of character development because it seems the filmmakers assume that the audience will feel the appropriate empathy for the characters because they are based on real people, without taking the time to develop their back stories to the extent a completely fictional tale would require. Sometimes it is critical, sometimes less so, and in the case of Soldier's Girl, the story of a shy, young soldier who falls in love with a cabaret drag queen, it tends more toward the critical.
Soldier's Girl tells the "true life" tale of Private Barry Winchell (Troy Garrity, the son of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden, and clearly Hayden's genes were the dominant force here) and begins with basic training. Winchell has the heart and soul for the military, but, of course, struggles with the physicality of it all. His dedication ultimately wins over his platoon, particularly his roommate Justin Fisher (Shawn Hotosy), an unstable dude with more Ritalyn in his medicine cabinet than Tony Soprano. The two become antagonistic friends, combative buddies through the rigors of basic training, and one day Fisher inexplicably takes his crew to a drag queen cabaret. Why, I'm not sure, because Fisher's unbalanced soldier is so sadly underdeveloped. Is he gay, straight, just testing his soldiers, or just whacked out on his Ritalyn? I don't really know. Fisher does make out with one of the performers, but then grows angry at his buddy's budding relationship with another one. Believe me, I understand what is all percolating under the surface, but the filmmakers never take the initiative to establish anything concrete, so important information remains submerged. Ultimately, the only purpose this road trip serves is to move the story along. It is here that Private Winchell meets Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), a good-hearted drag queen who assists Winchell when a fight breaks out. They retreat to a back room, and remarkably seem to fall in love right on the spot. With the proper character development, certainly in regards to Winchell's character, this may have worked fine. But without it, it just seems like a forced scene that moves too quickly.
As this private romantic relationship blossoms, its implications back on base become oppressive. Rumors abound, accusations are flung, and ulterior motives are revealed. Fisher becomes a sort of Lady Macbeth, playing everyone against each other for his own evil purposes, ultimately manipulating an impressionable young recruit into committing a tragic and heinous crime.
Plot ambiguity can often be a great thing. However, there has to be a purpose for it. If the power of the ending relies upon the uncertainty of what proceeds it to establish a surprise of grand statement, then it is a good thing. But if the ambiguity of the characters is just a result of a seeming laziness on the part of the filmmakers, it only detracts from the power of that ending. Soldier's Girl tells a tale that is interesting on the surface and definitely involving, but it is the deficiency in development that nagged at my subconscious at all times, and more often than not distracted me.
Troy Garrity is really very good as Private Winchell. Garrity actually resembles a young Dustin Hoffman in his early Graduate days, and the characters of Private Winchell and Benjamin Braddock are kind of innocent, kindred spirits in a way, caught up in a world of sexual awakenings that they do not completely understand. This similarity kind of worked on a subconscious level for me, but I doubt that was the purpose of his casting. Lee Pace is great as Calpernia Addams, the drag queen. It is the best "female impersonation" performance I have seen since Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game, and although Jaye's gimmick was his dead-on female appearance, Pace plays the role in a way that you never forget he is a man, but at times kind of overlook it in his quiet scenes with Garrity. It is the character of Justin Fisher that is the main problem. His "Lady Macbeth" is just so broadly drawn as the "bad egg" of the story, with the least amount of character development, that he is sadly, ultimately, simply a plot device rather than the credible and important antagonist he should have been.
Overall, Soldier's Girl is simply very watchable, mostly because of the two lead performances and the interesting subject matter. Their characters are based on real people to be sure, but this may be another case where a documentary probably would have ultimately been much more effective.
This film premieres on the Showtime cable channel, and if you already subscribe, I would recommend you check it out. But if not, I wouldn't recommend subscribing just for Soldier's Girl. Wait six months for the video.
But as always, it is only one man's opinion.
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