If you missed my first post where I explain what this is and how I’m scoring things, here you go.
If you have ever had the opportunity to attend a drag show or a drag themed brunch, you know just how much fun those things are, and how refreshing it is to be somewhere where everyone is just there to have an absolute blast. The fact that the culture wars started fighting against drag shows is just proof to me that people on one side of that conversation have no idea what actually goes on at these events. If drag queens performing songs and getting a crowd of people pumped up is offensive to you, then I’m afraid you need to get out more and learn about the stuff in the world that is actually worth getting that angry about.
Drag isn’t offensive. Unless it’s Tootsie.
Before anyone comes at me and says, “it’s satire, Josh,” I get it. Some of it is actually really funny. For the most part, I actually enjoyed the movie. But the premise itself is offensive.
Since I’m going to be complaining about how this 40 year old movie is offensive, I guess I better fill you in with some details. Tootsie is a 1982 movie starring Dustin Hoffman, who plays Michael Dorsey. An actor in New York, Dorsey struggles to find work, as we learn that he is too difficult to work with and too much of a perfectionist. He spends time as an acting coach, where one of his students, Sandy, is auditioning for a role on a popular soap opera. Sandy is sent away, and in a moment of desperation, Michael dresses like a woman, goes to the audition, and takes on the name Dorothy Michaels. Dorothy is offered the part of hospital administrator Emily Kimberly. Michael quickly falls for one of his female co-stars, which obviously becomes a whole predicament.
So in short, a middling male actor decides to cross dress, which is played up for its ridiculousness, and takes a role that was meant for a woman. He then presumably ends up with the beautiful and successful actress that he had spent the entire movie lying to about his real identity, with no real repercussions for any of his actions.
I don’t know what else to say, so let’s get into the categories:
Entertainment Value- 1.5/2
Nobody’s perfect, ok. Yeah, this movie has some serious issues, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. Bill Murray shows up and plays a pretentious playwright and it is, of course, hilarious. Dustin Hoffman plays an unsurprisingly believable difficult actor, which is also very funny. Even some scenes between Dorothy and Julie (the previously mentioned actress) are touching in ways that only work because the actors are so talented.
Look, I’m still at a place where I can enjoy something and acknowledge its deep flaws at the same time. I’ll enjoy it while it still lasts.
Correctness- 0/2
The whole time I was watching this I had that weird feeling I sometimes get when I see something offensive, but I’m not entirely sure who it offends. It turns out a lot of cis women and transgender people find this movie offensive for its inaccurate portrayal of their experiences.
Influence- 2/2
And of course this was the second highest grossing film of 1982.
It also influenced a Broadway musical of the same name which won a ton of awards in 2019.
“Rewatchability”- 1/2
Like I said, the satire in a lot of this really works.
There are worse things to have to sit and watch again, is all I’m saying.
Technical Score- 1/2
Again, the acting is really great. Dustin Hoffman really is one of the all-time greats, and received an Academy Award nomination here. Jessica Lange won an Academy Award for her work as Julie Nichols. I feel a little bad for not talking about her more, but it really is amazing what she was able to do to provide any depth to the character who spends most of the movie as the object of desire for all of the male characters.
Overall- 6/10
I really want other people in my life to watch this movie so I can talk with them about it, but for some reason it was a really hard movie to write about. I guess this is a recommendation, but I think it’s more out of curiosity on my end than anything.
You can watch Tootsie on MGM+.
Hasta luego,
Josh
Up Next: #61 Vertigo