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Ricardo Darín, Ines Flores, Inés Efron, Martin Piroyanski, Carolina Peleritti ... see more see more... , German Palacios , Valeria Bertuccelli , Luciano Nóbile , Guillermo Angelelli , César Troncoso , Ailin Salas , Lucas Escariz , Jean Pierre Reguerraz

Lucia Puenzo's drama XXY probes the psychological aftereffects that adolescent transsexuality can yield. With a name easily applicable to either gender, young teenager Alex's (Ines Efron) hermaphrodit... read more read more...ic physiology causes a massive identity crisis and severe emotional withdrawal. The problems create social problems in the family's home of Argentina and virtually force Alex and his/her sympathetic parents, Kraken (Ricardo Darín) and Suli (Valeria Bertuchelli) to move to nearby Uruguay, at a point when Alex wrestles with the throes of puberty. The situation grows increasingly complex when several friends of the family arrive: marrieds Erika (Carolina Pelereti) and Ramiro (German Palacios), a plastic surgeon, and their adolescent son, Alvaro (Martin Piroyanski), whom Alex instantly propositions for sex. As Alex battles some local punks who try unsuccessfully to rape him/her (saved at the last minute by Kraken), Alvaro finally accepts Alex's promptings for intercourse and comes to a gradual realization of his own gayness. Meanwhile, the rift between the adults and the youth widens with increasing rapidity. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Flixster Users

79% liked it

4,647 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

44 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 26 min.

Directed by: Lucía Puenzo

Release Date: June 14, 2007

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DVD Release Date: October 14, 2008

Stats: 623 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (623)

  • paulsandberg
    January 1, 2012
    paulsandberg
    XXY is a coming of age film, but with an interesting and provocative twist; the main character is a hermaphrodite. This may be shocking to some, but I found this aspect of the film, as well as that of the parallel coming of age tale of the visiting male teen, quite interesting. ... read more Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the dialog of the film (or the translation of the dialog to be specific). The film tend to dawdle, spending too much time creating atmosphere and a feeling of normalcy (like showing a family dinner with friends where absolutely nothing happens to move the story along).

    The story of the she/he is told well however. She (for that is how "it" is perceived) is wrestling with her identity and is considering the male aspects of her physiology. She experiments being the "dominant" with a slightly older boy - a family friend who is also struggling with his identity (he may have gay tendencies, or is just curious... the film smartly leaves that to the imagination of the viewer).

    Thrown into the mix are the feelings of both sets of parents - from she/he's father, who has moved the family from Argentina to a remote fishing village in Uruguay to protect her/him; and really simply wants her to decide who she wants to be and will accept that decision - to the visiting "friends" (a relationship that seems very tenuous at best). The father of the visiting boy has turned his back on his son as he believes the boy does indeed have a hankering for other boys. He is also a surgeon, and insinuates that he would be happy to take a little snip at the "daughter's" problem.

    If this all sounds intriguing, it is. But the pace and some of the directorial decisions seem to muck up the matter. Just as there is curiosity when she/he's secret is revealed to a friend, who makes the mistake of telling the secret to his chums, the ultimate payoff of the film seems rather flat, with all the sexual tension and confusion between the boy and "girl" reduced to an odd, "wanna see it?" question. That the boy doesn't respond (and the film shows a close-up of his face, which displays NOTHING), you wonder what the message was - man, this climax could have been handled so much better!

    I'd also like to mention that the synopsis presented by RT is incorrect - she/he is NOT saved from the rape by her father Kraken - she is saved by the local boy she told the secret to.
  • itsjustme2004
    October 12, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    What an excellent movie!! Being a teenager is hard enough without all that this poor kid had to deal with. This a well done movie, and told the story that it intended to very nicely.
  • 76Majikat
    March 10, 2010
    76Majikat
    Simplistic, yet effective. Covering a rare, but intriguing subject matter and creating a realistic style film and conveying feelings and emotions through acting rather than the dialogue.
  • blacksheepboy
    December 15, 2009
    blacksheepboy
    An intimate, poignant human drama about intersexuality, XXY appropriately avoids easy answers and resolutions; it is subtle, sensitive, mostly silent, and has some outstanding performances by Ricardo Darín and Inés Efron.
  • ebs90
    August 11, 2009
    ebs90
    Amazing, intense, contained, just leaves you speechless. In my opinion, pure cinema.
  • kiriyamakazou
    January 29, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    A wonderfully subtle film that, given it's subject matter, could have easily spilled over into sentimentality. One of the genius strokes is to have Alex, despite being a hermaphrodite, not being the most confused character in the film. She certainly has questions and doubts, but ... read morethese seem more to put others at ease. Her existence has her parents questioning what to do and the boys she comes into contact with are also left with doubts. It's a film that blurs the lines for sex and sexuality and suggests that it probably doesn't matter what or who you are. The portrayals are all handled delicately and the scenery and cinematography combine to create a beautiful film. A film that says a lot despite the limited dialogue.
  • fb1144932598
    November 1, 2010
    fb1144932598
    A sensitive film that deals with an uncomfortable subject and handles it with quiet dignity. A family moves from their native Argentina to a remote area of Uruguay in order to shield their "daughter" from ridicule over her abnormal physical attributes. But things have reached a p... read moreoint where the "girl" must choose whether to continue to live her life as a female or embrace her masculine identity. The shame of the parents and the agony that Alex faces as she makes her choice is what provides the conflict in the story. Complicating the process is another young man facing his own sexual identity issues of a different sort being thrust into the already stressed family environment. The director could have emphasized all of the more prurient aspects of the central dilemma, but chose a more subtle approach and therefore allowed the viewer to fully empathize with the struggles these two teens face. Strong characters, a solid story and very few false notes made what could have been a difficult film a very thought provoking experience. In the end, we have a clear idea of the decisions that have been made and we understand that the roads chosen will not be easy.
  • gator681
    May 4, 2008
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]In "XXY," Alex(Ines Efron) is a 15-year old with both male and female sexual characteristics who is being raised by her parents(Ricardo Darin & Valeria Bertuccelli) as a girl. She told her former best friend, Vando(Luciano Nobile), about her secret but he re... read moreacted in such a way for her to punch him, resulting in her expulsion from school. A friend(Carolina Pelleritti) of her mother's has come to visit her family, her husband(German Palacios) being a plastic surgeon who is being consulted about possible surgery on Alex. However, it is their son, Alvaro(Martin Piroyansky), who interests her the most...[/font]

    [font=Century Gothic]"XXY" is a highly provocative genderblender(especially when it comes to teen sexuality) that has the very intelligent thought that children do not have a choice when they grow up since they are essentially discovering the person they truly are. To that end, Alex has stopped taking the corticoid which will dampen her female development, to the dismay of her mother. At the time, I thought Alex had chosen being a boy, but that is not it either. In fact, I think she is happy with the status quo, even if the rest of the world is not.(The movie presents these arguments in a very understated way, especially in the realistic way it conveys the lack of communication between the generations.) In the end, Alex would probably fare better in a large city with a diverse society, compared to the hyper-masculine fishing village near where she currently resides. [/font]
  • divinetrash
    November 24, 2008
    divinetrash
    A beautiful film that transcend its subject matter and anyone can relate to. Martin Piroyansky is beyond outstanding.
  • defton3s
    November 15, 2011
    defton3s
    Such a sad movie that helps you understand what Alex has to go through with the emotional crisis and where love comes into play as well.

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Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
December 17, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

Moody and thoughtful. Full Review

Bob Mondello
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello, NPR.org

The movie's images are frequently startling, its performances sharply observed and quirky, and its take on its subject matter undeniably provocative. Full Review

Michael Phillips
October 18, 2008
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Trim and briskly paced, XXY is sometimes difficult to watch, but Puenzo lets the actors explore a full range of emotions. Full Review

Roger Ebert
September 5, 2008
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It is not a message picture, never lectures, contains partial nudity but avoids explicit images and grows into a poignant human drama. Full Review

David Wiegand
August 1, 2008
David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle

Lucía Puenzo's XXY is as finely crafted as a great work of literature. Full Review

Wesley Morris
May 22, 2008
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

What ensues between them, both psychologically and sexually, is one of the strangest, most fascinating dysfunctional relationships I've seen in a movie. The acting is outstanding. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
May 7, 2008
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

The movie is a liberal plea without liberation. Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir
May 7, 2008
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

An intimate, atmospheric character study with a lingering erotic charge, Lucía Puenzo's XXY is one of the year's most impressive directing debuts. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
May 2, 2008
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

Ines Efron and Martin Piroyanski give strong performances as Alex and Alvaro, respectively. Debuting director Lucia Puenzo, who co-scripted, tackles a dicey subject with sensitivity and taste. Full Review

Stephen Holden
May 2, 2008
Stephen Holden, New York Times

A somber, brooding study.

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