Film Reviews

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Alberta Watson
• Details: US / 95 mins (18).

Hedwig and the Angry Inch was something of a favourite at this year's Sundance Film Festival and it's not hard to see why, as this is one of the most offbeat and eccentric musical docu-dramas to emerge in recent years. Written, directed by and starring John Cameron Mitchell, he plays Hansel, a young East German boy who dreams of becoming an international rock diva. After being expelled from university, he sets about making his dreams a reality and transforms himself into Hedwig. However, his sex change operation goes horribly wrong, leaving him with an "angry inch" (draw your own conclusions) and his catalogue of music is plagiarized by a lover. While not quite as cutting as it would like to think it is, Hedwig and the Angry is still a brash, amusing comedy. Most of the credit for this has go to Cameron Mitchell's splendid lead performance as Hedwig, and ably supported by Michael Pitt.

Review by Garreth Murphy