Tangerine (2015) – a lovely LGBT-positive lo-fi Christmas romp (Blu-Ray Review)

With the festive season well underway, and Christmas itself rapidly approaching, I have no doubt that most people who celebrate will have already watched at least one classic holiday picture this month by the time this review is released. Of course, many viewers choose to deviate from the well-established Yuletide canon of jolly, wholesome, snow-bound favourites in favour of an alternate flavour of wintry cinematic delight. Whether we’re talking about terrorists attacking Nakatomi Plaza, or an army of mischievous pint-sized ghouls, not to mention a variety of Santas with moral codes which lean decidedly more towards “naughty” than “nice”, the idea of a darker counter-cultural flipside to Christmas cinema is a well-established one. Yet the idea of a seasonal film where characters aren’t always having the most wonderful time is a concept that some audiences just aren’t ready to accept. Tangerine, whilst not being as high-stakes as most subversive holiday flicks, is nonetheless in good company as a carol for another Christmas; a story of a not-so-silent night that hits closer to home when you’re someone who society might not see as welcome in their picture-postcard holiday scene.

The break-out indie drama hit of director Sean Baker, Tangerine is a down-to-Earth document of two black transgender sex workers and best friends, Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez in her first and only credited acting role) and Alexandra (actress Mya Taylor, also in her feature debut), whose Christmas Eves in downtown Los Angeles take an eventful turn after Sin-Dee learns that her boyfriend and pimp, Chester (a delightful brief role from actor James Ransone), cheated on her whilst she was in prison. With director Baker being a white cisgender man writing and directing a story about two black trans women, I was admittedly a little cautious about how authentic Tangerine would be in its depiction of the two leads, but I’m delighted to say that Sin-Dee and Alexandra aren’t merely good representation (something which I’m always searching for as a transgender woman myself), but also characters who feel legitimately like real people; in fact, it’s uncanny how much this fictional film feels like a documentary.

Rodriguez and Taylor are brilliant in their portrayals of these two complicated yet instantly lovable women, and their casually filthy conversations about relationships, clothing and work are grounded yet undeniably engaging and entertaining. It’s just nice to see a film about transgender life which doesn’t ignore queer struggles but isn’t defined by them – it’s just two girls having a chaotic night and, for better or worse, living it up. Another noteworthy performance comes courtesy of the star of the film’s B-plot, Karren Karagulian, who plays Armenian cab driver Razmik. His sub-plot brings a nice alternate perspective on life in Los Angeles, as we see the customers he picks up during the day and the different ways in which they treat him – whether as a person or simply as a service. As with all of this film’s characters, he’s a flawed and complicated individual, and Karagulian plays him exquisitely.

Though Tangerine isn’t necessarily a genre film, Baker’s ‘70s exploitation influences show in the film’s rough yet mesmerising colour palette and visual style. Upon its release in 2015, one of the most talked-about aspects of the film was the fact that it was entirely shot on iPhone, which gives the movie a rather unique visual style; it’s undeniably modern, yet seeing these banal street settings warts-and-all through this grainy perspective can’t help but evoke the early days of American independent cinema. Seeing L.A. shot through the lens of Baker’s smartphone camera brings back memories of a long-gone era of “stolen Hollywood” pictures such as Hollywood Horror House (1970) and Fade to Black (1980) – B-pictures shot on the streets of Tinseltown by independent filmmakers with little more than a camera and a dream, surrounded by settings associated with grand studio-backed epics and blockbuster opulence. Given the vibes that emanate from his drama features, I would love to see Baker tackle a genre picture sometime in the near future.

U.K.-based Blu-Ray distributors Second Sight are quickly making a name for themselves as producers of high-quality releases of hidden gems that haven’t been shown enough love on physical media, and their release of Tangerine is no exception. Beyond the gorgeous packaging, the disc contains all manner of gifts and goodies, ranging from a large quantity of cast and crew interviews to a brand new feature-length documentary on the making of the film, appropriately titled Merry Fucking Christmas. If there are any queer film fans in your life, consider getting them this as a late Christmas present – it’s a lovely LGBT-positive lo-fi romp.

Tangerine (2015) and more from Robyn