The Year of Change
When teenager Billie (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) returns home to be told by her mum that she is going to go through gender transition to become a man called James (Del Herbert-Jane), she takes it in her stride even having to go and live with her father. As such for Billie this starts a year of visiting her mum on Tuesdays which allows them both to get use to the change and deal with any problems along the way. But whilst this is all going on Billie has made a couple of teenage friends who together start on their own year of adventure, personal exploration and change.
Did I enjoy "52 Tuesdays"? I don't think so but I couldn't stop watching it which makes me question whether or not I did like it after all. I have to admit that I am very confused as to how I feel about it. The reason for this confusion I suppose is that this Australian movie is all over the place so on one side we have the story of Billie's mum transitioning from Jane to James and not having an easy time of it due to complications. Then on the other side we have Billie's own transition from this shy girl to one who by the end of the year has in essence gone through a coming of age thanks to her sexual explorations with a couple of friends which they decide to document.
I suppose the issue I have with "52 Tuesdays" comes down to characters and how they behave. Take Billie, a pleasant enough teenager but at times the way she acts, dresses and speaks borders on the pretentious especially when she records her thoughts directly to her own camera and in doing so makes her anything but normal. Then there is her uncle who is not only annoying but acts like the biggest idiot going. Yet somehow as I watched these characters and the year unfold over 52 Tuesdays I still couldn't stop watching because whilst I wasn't particularly entertained my curiosity had been spiked by these characters who to be honest whilst are annoying are well played especially by Del Herbert-Jane as James.
What this all boils down to is that "52 Tuesdays" is a movie for those who prefer something different and more original when it comes to what they watch. For me this ended up a movie despite not entertaining me I found myself unable to stop watching as it spiked my curiosity.
