Hedwig, oh how I love you! And how surprised I was too, because Hedwig and the Angry Inch sounded exactly like the sort of movie I never wanted to see. A young East German man has a botched sex change surgery, leaving him not quite a man, not quite a woman. All this is done to escape to the USA where Hedwig (formerly Hans) meets a teenage boy and becomes his lover, teacher, and music partner. The boy betrays him, becomes rich, and Hedwig is left to pick up the pieces. The film follows Hedwig and her band on tour while she chases down her now famous ex-boyfriend Tommy Gnosis.

Right, now forget all that! When I first heard the movie’s description is sounded like a heart wrenching drama along the lines of “Boys Don’t Cry”. The actual film has a much different vibe than you might expect. Sure it’s moody, but also sarcastic and light-hearted with a touch of the absurd. Camp? Yes. Artsy? Sure. More than any of that, it’s musical. The songs are what make the movie, the plot taking a definite back seat to them. The songs of this film will get into your head. You will dream about them and you will sing them until you give in and return to hear them once more. At least that’s what happened to me. Again and again I came back for the music.





Pros:
-Unforgettable songs
-An outstanding lead performance from John Cameron Mitchell
-A nonlinear plot that makes repeated views pleasurable.
-Fantastic sets, make-up, and outfits.

Cons:
-Its highly addictive nature.

I bought the DVD (which contains a slew of wonderful extras) and I played it obsessively, which is unusual for me since I usually can’t stand seeing the same movie more than once a year. I’m not alone in this experience, since Hedwig has developed a huge cult following. There’s just something about the film that can’t be described, but must be experienced. Watch it, love it, worship Hedwig and the Angry Inch.