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Movie Review: XXY

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By NotMyself


XXY (2007)

Director:      Lucia Puenzo

Writer (s):      Lucia Puenzo & Sergio Bizzio

Producers:      Jose Maria Morales, Carla Pelligra, Luis Puenzo & Fernando Sirianni

Starring:      Ines Efron, Martin Piroyansky, Ricardo Darin & Valeria Bertuccelli

Genre:      Drama

Language:      Spanish


'XXY's  audio is in its native Spanish language.  To fully enjoy the effect of the film--it is highly recommended that you enjoy the original language version with English subtitles--without English voice dubbing.


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Decisions, decisions...

As a teenager growing up you might can remember those particular milestones that catapulted you in to young adulthood--trying to decide to go to the prom, or not--should you attend the game on Saturday with friends or just stay home and talk on the phone all day--deciding who kissed whom at the back of the bleachers during gym class. Normal decisions, well mostly some of the decisions teenagers may have to make on a daily basis. Nevertheless, what about the more complex decisions that is a part of becoming a young adult: sexuality. Deciding if you like only girls, only boys--or both, which presents the most challenging decision to make that would have lasting effects on to adulthood, and possibly for the rest of your life.


What if the decision, whether to be male or female, was a part of your daily life? You cannot readily decide to be a boy just because you may have male genitalia, or female for that matter. What if you had both male and female genitalia? Can you decide just who you really are?

Let me introduce you to Alex, played effortlessly by Ines Efron, who has both male and female genitalia--a hermaphrodite. 15 years old and have to take corticoids that suppresses the male hormone testosterone--because your parents wanted you born female.


Alex's parents make their living rescuing marine life. Her father wrote a book regarding some marine animals possessing both male and female organs--like the clown fish, that are naturally hermaphrodites or sequential hermaphroditism; and change to either male or female when either sex pair dies. I did not mean to discuss the sexuality of clown fish, but I wanted to offer you an understanding of how complex a decision that Alex has to make--become male, or 'remain' female.


Alex's parents invite over a surgeon and his wife, who are there to persuade the parents as to why Alex should have surgery that would definitively make 'her' female--there is more, the surgeon and his wife brings along their son, Alvaro--who becomes instantly attractive to Alex. He, Alvaro (Martin Piroyansky) is attracted to Alex as well--but not in a 'boy' and 'girl' way of thinking initially. I should also mention, there is another male interested in Alex--but told other young men in the village of Alex's 'uniqueness'. From there on, Alex and the relationships with these two young men collide into an intense competition for Alex's affection--each boy loves the individual physical sexual characteristic of Alex.


Sounds complicated--this movie is emotionally stimulating. You can almost sense the intensity of the actors roles --even more so when the final decision rest with Alex. This is a fantastic movie, a definite must see. I have to warn you this is a very mature movie--with serious sexual situations. Set everything aside on what you think you know about hermaphroditism--because in reality, you do not know the half of it.



'Identity vs. role confusion' (ages 13-19) is an essential stage of development that Erickson proposed during this stage of development--adolescents achieve a sense of identity, a sense of self. Hopefully to know who they are and where their lives are headed.'

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Frieda Babbley profile image

Frieda Babbley  says:
4 weeks ago

There seems to be a glitch in the video so I double clicked and got onto youtube and scrolled for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IrLSzt_jQE

I've never heard of this movie. I can't even believe it. It sounds and looks fantastic. I'm going to search it out. Great review.

NotMyself profile image

NotMyself  says:
4 weeks ago

Thanks Frieda--I have changed the link for the video. This video is much more detailed--this is really a great movie. I am certain that you will enjoy it.

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