Just Like a Woman (1992)

Please don't spend money on this.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

'Just Like A Woman' is a very amusing story with an attractive leading character, Gerald who is charming and interesting. He is a heterosexual male who feels happiest when he is wearing women's clothes. He is at first so ashamed of this, and so afraid of judgments that he hides this desire from everyone, and lives in fear of discovery.In the beginning of the movie his wife and children come home unexpectedly early from a trip, and find women's clothing, make-up, and accessories. His wife accuses him of having an affair and files for divorce. Gerald could have tried to explain that he was a transvestite, however chooses not to so that he doesn't have to live with the fear of loosing his job or from any other social pressures that could be pressed upon him. Gerald then moves into a boarding house and meets Monica, an older woman who discovers his transvestism. Monica is very supportive of Gerald, and his feminine personality, Geraldine.This movie is entertaining, but lacks in substance, that is to say that the character of Gerald/Geraldine is not fully developed. The sexuality of the character is identified as entirely male, however his gender identity is not entirely relieved in the movie. In the beginning we think that Gerald is a transvestite, meaning that he identifies his gender as a male, but likes to wear women's clothing for either fun, or to make himself feel more comfortable.Gerald's character seems to be confused of his own gender as he begins to have a relationship with the supportive Monica. She is at first thrown off by his transvestitism, but it becomes part of their sex play, which moves from being transvestitism to being a fetish. It is not explained if it is part of a fetish for him in the movie, but as Monica talks to some of her girlfriends about it she admits to finding it very exciting. Therefor she may be helping him discover his nature and gender in a way to satisfy her new desires.In the end of the film Gerald goes to a business meeting as a woman, stating that he and Monica were in business together. At first he is not entirely recognized, but is still shy and afraid of being found out, but by the end of the meeting he decides to give a shock to a man that had wronged him before. In this scene, it appears that Gerald is more willing to be seen publicly in as a woman. So it appears that he has become transgendered rather than being a transvestite. (Meaning that he is beginning to see himself as a woman in gender). This movie would be much more interesting if the film was willing to express the differences in sexuality, and gender identity.

Just Like a Woman follows the story of a transvestite man's life with both the elements of drama and light comedy. The film follows his struggles and process of accepting himself his relationship with society by being a transvestite.Gerald, by society's standard, seems to live a perfect life, a successful career and a family. But he lives a double life and by night turns into Geraldine, a transvestite who is only known by his friends with in the community. He struggles with this double life, and is frightened by the consequences if he ever lives an overlap between his two identities. After meeting Monica, gradually he becomes comfortable with his identity, mostly by the help of finding an accepting partner. Although there have been many films that portray human sexuality, there are less films that tells the story of particularly transvestites. For an average person to understand the motifs and psychology behind a transvestite person, this film succeeds in introducing this particular identity through its easy to watch genre. The broad definition of "transvestite" is simply explained; a man that is attracted to the opposite sex but has the urge or will to dress-up, or become a woman. . Gerald and Geraldine are both capable of living quit a successful life and are not mentally impaired but only has an disadvantage because of society's perception on his identity.It does not quiet explore the deeper reasoning behind it, but the film works in a sense that analyzing may not be always a necessity when one's sexuality is portrayed; it's just the way they are. Which is the essential goal of accepting one's sexuality or identity, is to accept them who they are.

"Just Like a Woman", released in 1992, is a film about a very successful 30 year old guy, played by, Adrian Pasdar, who is climbing up the food chain of the bank he works for. Oh, and he's a transvestite. After his wife unexpectedly returns home to find a bunch of female clothes (that aren't hers) all around his room she throws him out of the house, because, of course, what else could he be doing besides sleeping around? The story begins when he rents an apartment from a woman in her 50s, played by Barbara Walters. One thing leads to another and they start to see each other as something more. The story is really about their relationship and how they come to cope with the fact (if it's even possible) that he likes to wear woman's clothes.While this movie does have its moments, delivering a few chuckles here and there and some solid performances, I think the most interesting thing about it is how it delves into the area of transvestism, looking upon it in a realistic way. For some, transvestites are something that most people only hear about or only happen to see when walking downtown. But "Just Like a Woman" gives one of many possible insights into how a straight male actually thinks about it and thinks about his obsession. In one part he says something along the lines of "I'm not gay; it's just that I like wearing woman's clothing." And for this reason, I recommend this movie to anyone who's interesting in finding out a little bit more about a realistic interpretation of a transvestite and their own psychological struggles, with a laugh or two.

The original book was just the (true) story of the love affair between Gerald/Geraldine and Monica Jay; the part about the business deal, the crooked boss and the Japanese clients was added for the film. I have to say that I found the sub-plot less than credible, but enormous fun all the same - especially the come-uppance. Yes, the ending is OTT, but it IS meant to be a dream sequence.The UK transvestite association "Northern Concord" was involved in the research and some of its members were extras in the filming, which perhaps goes a long way to explaining why this is one of the very rare films which shows the world of cross-dressers as it really is. In most of the others (Tootsie, Mrs Doubtfire, Some Like it Hot...) the heroes aren't transvestites at all but ordinary guys who cross-dress to save their life, career or relationship with their children.