Rosskam’s strategy is two-fold, intercutting interviews about transmasculine sexual historical past and habits with a fictional interplay between characters performed by Theo Germaine and Aden Hakimi. Each halves of the movie really feel like they’re making an attempt to playfully unpack the complexity of the transmasculine sexual expertise, revealing how foolish it’s to color any gender id with a broad brush. Trans id permits for an array of wishes, proclivities, beliefs, and desires, and “Need Traces” succeeds by tearing down the clichés that makes any classification of individuals right into a monolith.
The fabric between Hakimi and Germaine, whereas well-performed, feels a bit clunky, extra like a pupil movie than the deep intellectualism within the documentary parts of the manufacturing. I simply needed them to be a bit additional refined, and fewer self-aware. The very best moments in “Need Traces” come from spontaneous admissions, tales of previous or desired habits that always include fun and a smile. It’s at its most important when it’s about freedom of expression, utterly devoid of judgment or expectation. Illustration should include that sort of freedom, and “Need Traces” is a joyous step towards each.
Lastly, there’s one of many main premieres of Sundance 2024, A24’s “A Totally different Man,” a dramedy that permits Sebastian Stan considered one of his richest roles up to now. It’s a movie that will get extra meta because it spins its concepts right into a chaotic last act that I consider will get away from author/director Aaron Schimberg a bit greater than it ought to, however I nonetheless admire the performances and concepts on this uncommon movie.
Stan performs an actor named Edward with a facial deformity so drastic that he struggles to seek out work and happiness. In an virtually Charlie Kaufman-esque set-up, Edward’s life is simply surreal sufficient to be unrealistic. Just like the characters in one thing like “Everlasting Sunshine of the Spotless Thoughts,” Edward is given what appears like an unattainable present, a surgical process that may rework his look into the movie-star seems to be of Stan. The issue? He’s nonetheless Edward on the within.
