Rating: 
Summary: Easily the second-best film of 2001...
Review: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" bursts onto the screen with a ferocity and rock-and-roll energy not seen since the great rock operas of the 1970s. Not only can it claim to have taken "Rocky Horror"'s crown as the best cult musical of all time, but it's also one of the best musicals ever put on film. It is second only to another movie musical that was released this year, "Moulin Rouge." What do these two films have in common? They are both rock operas about people trying to find love. And that is where the similarity ends. How fitting that in the year 2001, the movie musical genre, which many have considered dead for the past 20 years, can be revitalized and reenergized and deconstructed by these two brilliant productions."Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is, ostensibly, the story of a gay man, growing up in East Berlin in the days before the Wall fell, who reluctantly agrees to have a sex change operation, so that he can marry an American G.I., and leave for America. Unfortunately, the operation is done incorrectly, leaving Hansel, now Hedwig, with a one-inch mound of flesh where his male member once was. As if that was not enough bad luck for her, her new husband, soon after bringing her to America, leaves her for another man. Hedwig is left high and dry, the very week that the Berlin Wall is torn down. "Good things come to those who wait," says the television announcer. This inspires Hedwig to go on a journey of self-discovery; to discover her other half, her soulmate--but is it a man or a woman? And where does she fit in, in the grand scheme of things? Is she meant to be a male, as she was born, or a female, as she became? That is when we, the audience, realize that this is not merely a simple story of a down-on-her-luck drag queen trying to make it in the Big World. This is a film about the search for the Platonic ideal, blending the mythic and mundane into a fascinating exploration of what it means to be complete. Is Hedwig's mother right in saying, "To be free, one must give up a little part of oneself"? Or is Hedwig's lover, Tommy Gnosis, when he tells her that "there's no mystical design/no cosmic lover preassigned"? The film uses the Berlin Wall as a symbol of the division between two soulmates. Hedwig believes that no one is complete until he or she has found his soulmate. Once they are reunited, one has finally found oneself. Like Berlin finally reunited, Hedwig longs for that herself. "Hedwig" plays like a cross between a documentary-style film a la "This is Spinal Tap," an MGM movie musical, an episode of "Behind the Music" (including tabloid covers and a clip of Hedwig on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show"), and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." But it is so much more than that, based mostly on (1) its use of complex symbolism and mythical allusions and (2) the brilliant, heartfelt, funny, and sad performance of John Cameron Mitchell, who wrote, directed, and starred in both the original off-Broadway production of "Hedwig" and this film. The man is a creative genius and should receive a Best Actor Oscar nomination. And what of the music? Simply brilliant, as well. "Hedwig" boasts, bar none, one of the best rock opera score of all time, except for, perhaps, "Rent." The music is raw energy incarnate. The melodies are amazingly tuneful, and range from hardcore punk to rock n' roll, to folksy, to soft, but never overly sappy, ballads. The lyrics are a revelation: more mature, nuanced, and finely tuned than any songs you are likely to hear in any other Broadway or rock venue. And, yes, contain a great deal of mythical, literary, and even biblical allusions. The musical numbers are staged brilliantly, particularly "Wig in a Box," my favorite song in the film. A grungy trailer opens up and transforms itself into a beautiful, shiny, brightly colored stage for a great rock number. It's flights of fancy like this that make "Hedwig" so much fun. The film also contains amazing work from its supporting cast, including Miriam Shor, playing Hedwig's husband, and Andrea Martin, playing Hedwig's publicist. If you are looking for a rock musical that really rocks, but also has a very complex, multilayered, thought-provoking story under its shiny, glitzy veneer, look no further than "Hedwig." And you might want to consider buying the soundtrack, as well. The songs are impossible to get out of your head, but in a good way. And I didn't even get to mention how hilariously funny the film is, as well. You will laugh long and hard; you will find yourself singing along to the music; and yes, you'll also find yourself extremely touched.
Rating:
Summary: Easily the second-best film of 2001...
Review: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" bursts onto the screen with a ferocity and rock-and-roll energy not seen since the great rock operas of the 1970s. Not only can it claim to have taken "Rocky Horror"'s crown as the best cult musical of all time, but it's also one of the best musicals ever put on film. It is second only to another movie musical that was released this year, "Moulin Rouge." What do these two films have in common? They are both rock operas about people trying to find love. And that is where the similarity ends. How fitting that in the year 2001, the movie musical genre, which many have considered dead for the past 20 years, can be revitalized and reenergized and deconstructed by these two brilliant productions. "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is, ostensibly, the story of a gay man, growing up in East Berlin in the days before the Wall fell, who reluctantly agrees to have a sex change operation, so that he can marry an American G.I., and leave for America. Unfortunately, the operation is done incorrectly, leaving Hansel, now Hedwig, with a one-inch mound of flesh where his male member once was. As if that was not enough bad luck for her, her new husband, soon after bringing her to America, leaves her for another man. Hedwig is left high and dry, the very week that the Berlin Wall is torn down. "Good things come to those who wait," says the television announcer. This inspires Hedwig to go on a journey of self-discovery; to discover her other half, her soulmate--but is it a man or a woman? And where does she fit in, in the grand scheme of things? Is she meant to be a male, as she was born, or a female, as she became? That is when we, the audience, realize that this is not merely a simple story of a down-on-her-luck drag queen trying to make it in the Big World. This is a film about the search for the Platonic ideal, blending the mythic and mundane into a fascinating exploration of what it means to be complete. Is Hedwig's mother right in saying, "To be free, one must give up a little part of oneself"? Or is Hedwig's lover, Tommy Gnosis, when he tells her that "there's no mystical design/no cosmic lover preassigned"? The film uses the Berlin Wall as a symbol of the division between two soulmates. Hedwig believes that no one is complete until he or she has found his soulmate. Once they are reunited, one has finally found oneself. Like Berlin finally reunited, Hedwig longs for that herself. "Hedwig" plays like a cross between a documentary-style film a la "This is Spinal Tap," an MGM movie musical, an episode of "Behind the Music" (including tabloid covers and a clip of Hedwig on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show"), and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." But it is so much more than that, based mostly on (1) its use of complex symbolism and mythical allusions and (2) the brilliant, heartfelt, funny, and sad performance of John Cameron Mitchell, who wrote, directed, and starred in both the original off-Broadway production of "Hedwig" and this film. The man is a creative genius and should receive a Best Actor Oscar nomination. And what of the music? Simply brilliant, as well. "Hedwig" boasts, bar none, one of the best rock opera score of all time, except for, perhaps, "Rent." The music is raw energy incarnate. The melodies are amazingly tuneful, and range from hardcore punk to rock n' roll, to folksy, to soft, but never overly sappy, ballads. The lyrics are a revelation: more mature, nuanced, and finely tuned than any songs you are likely to hear in any other Broadway or rock venue. And, yes, contain a great deal of mythical, literary, and even biblical allusions. The musical numbers are staged brilliantly, particularly "Wig in a Box," my favorite song in the film. A grungy trailer opens up and transforms itself into a beautiful, shiny, brightly colored stage for a great rock number. It's flights of fancy like this that make "Hedwig" so much fun. The film also contains amazing work from its supporting cast, including Miriam Shor, playing Hedwig's husband, and Andrea Martin, playing Hedwig's publicist. If you are looking for a rock musical that really rocks, but also has a very complex, multilayered, thought-provoking story under its shiny, glitzy veneer, look no further than "Hedwig." And you might want to consider buying the soundtrack, as well. The songs are impossible to get out of your head, but in a good way. And I didn't even get to mention how hilariously funny the film is, as well. You will laugh long and hard; you will find yourself singing along to the music; and yes, you'll also find yourself extremely touched.
Rating: 
Summary: Art for Art's Sake?
Review: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" defies description. It is a rock musical about glamrocker Hedwig, who used to be Hansel, from East Germany. Hedwig goes through a series of bizarre adventures and ends up a star with the band The Angry Inch. Fun and dazzling visuals, but hard to follow and jumbled in places, the film tries to be art, heavy on symbols and irony, but doesn't quite succeed. Worth a look, but could be better.
Rating:
Summary: Uneven translation to film
Review: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is good, but not great. Due to the cross-dressing element, there are many comparisons to "Rocky Horror Picture Show," but I feel that these are two very separate films. A closer comparison is "Cabaret," in the way "stage performanceas a musical" is used to interweave character's stories. Like "Cabaret," the musical is much changed in it's transfer to screen. Characters are re-written and the all important "feel" goes missing. It was difficult to decide if the director was aiming for mocking the main characters by showing how seriously these pathetic people took themselves, in the vein of "This is Spinal Tap" and "Waiting for Guffman," or if he was going for something along the lines of "Tommy" where a savaged character found art within himself and transformed the people around him. It is a difficult line to walk. We are introduced to Hedwig in the bar scene, where he/she was an obvious object of ridicule, with the silly hairstyle and rock star performance in a small "Denny's" style restaurant. Then later on, we are supposed to respect the plight of the same character that we had been trained to find humor in. Ultimately, I found no connection to any of the characters, and didn't particularly care whether or not Hedwig succeeded or failed. I was sympathetic towards Hedwig's wife, and hopped that he/she escaped the vortex of Hedwig's self-fulfilling failure. I was happy to see this character transformed at the end, and carried away from Hedwig (in my own mind, I am hoping that the hands carried him/her off to a staring role in "Rent.")
Rating:
Summary: THE WORLD NEEDS TO GET HED
Review: "Hedwig and The Angry Inch" is without doubt one of the best films ever made. Imaginative, intelligent, thoughtful, extremely witty, very moving, and BIG FUN, "Hedwig" is everything a film should be -- and it should be required viewing for all Earthlings! Don't overlook this film -- it has the power to transform lives! So long as John Cameron Mitchell and Steven Trask are in it, there is hope for the world!
Rating:
Summary: "I put on my make-up..."
Review: "Hedwig and The Angry Itch" comes at a critical time when popular arts, specifically acting/theatre and rock music, have sunk to an all-time low.
Who knew that a movie/play/satire about a East German tranvestite rock and roller would be such an inspiring movie? I sure as hell didn't when I first viewed this during the summer. I walked out of the theatre with a lot of hope for the future.
Face it, actors/actresses don't know how to act anymore without exhibiting some degree of self-consciousness. John Cameron Mitchell, who also conceived the original play and did a terrific job of directing, gets 100 into the role of Hedwig, a character that is flamboyant, absurd, funny, heartbreaking and a terrific communicator. And the man is the first genuine rock and roll heart I have connected with in too long a time. Even though it's a ficticious character, he blows away a good percentage of today's, ahem, "rock".
The lovely Miriam Shor is terrific playing a man (in this case, Yitzak, Hedwig's love interest) and shows an amazing energy, dramtic flair and punk rock spirit. A ballsy performance and an excellent example of losing yourself in the role and making it effective.
And the music? You like Punk, Gothic, Glam, Rockabilly, Heavy Metal, Psychedelia and good ol' knees up singalong? Look no further. This is some of the very best TRUE ROCK MUSIC (and Show music) that I have heard in ages. Catchy, nervy and rocks like hell.
The film is a remarkable acheivement. What could have turned into a routine filmed performance or even a performance piece, is actually a fine story with great editing, energy and plenty of color. It could have been a garish display, but Mitchell has done the impossible by keeping the camp and making a truly focused work. Let's see more form him.
The DVD comes with a remarkable 80+ miniute documentary about the history of "Hedwig" and interviews with all involved. This is truly indispensible stuff and highly entertaining.
Multi-media pieces usually don't work in the cinematic realm. John Cameron Mitchell has succeeded in this impossible accomplishment and also created what is a long overdue creation in cult cinema.
And that is? The first TRUE rival to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Give Rocky credit for starting the genre, but give John Cameron Mitchell plenty for taking it further and producing a labor of love on every level.
I will never tire of "Hedwig". It is most welcome in this current era of pop atrocity (Robbie Robertson croaking Supertramp? Yeah, right...).
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding DVD for an oustanding movie
Review: "Hedwig" is easily one of the best movies of 2001...if not of the past several years. And this DVD treatment does this flick tremendous justice. Included are bonus features such as commentary by writer/director/star John Cameron Mitchell, deleted scenes, and cast and crew filmographies. But the best treat is a feature-length (80+ minutes) history of Hedwig...the character, the off-Broadway show and the movie. This documentary -- which is worth the purchase price itself -- even includes footage from John Cameron Mitchell's first appearance as Hedwig back in 1994. In short, this is a must-have for any Hed-Head!
Rating:
Summary: Mind blowing experiance
Review: "Hedwig" is like a jolt of electricity that cuts through traditional values with a a song and a dance. It's amasing.
The best movie I've seen all year.
Rating: 
Summary: Hedwig and the Barbie doll Crotch
Review: "There must be someone up there looking down on all us freaky kids" I thought out loud as I walked from the tiny alleyway theatre after seeing Hedwig for the first time. It's just one of those films, like Velvet Goldmine, (with the startlingly gorgeous Johnothan Rhys Meyers), that makes you want to spend your entire paycheck on everything HEDWIG. The video, the soundtrack, the T-Shirt, the perfume, the book, the fridge magnet, not to mention glitter eyeshadow and mauve tinted sunglasses. And after that, it makes you want to walk down the street crying, it makes you want to scream and laugh and sing - and you should, because very few films will ever breathe the spirit back into you like Hedwig does. It's clever, it sweet, it's heartbreaking. All the cliches apply. Cliches are around for a reason. And that reason is Hedwig. See it, rent it, buy it, but never be content just to hear people rave about it. You have my promise - when you walk out of that theatre, you will never be the same again.
Rating:
Summary: "Angry Inch" beats competition by a mile
Review: "Velvet Goldmine" meets "(insert name of your favorite Backstage Drama here)" in this instant cult classic. The secret to "Hedwig"'s success is that it doesn't hit you over the head with the "sexual ambiguity" theme (after 25 years of "Rocky Horror" and several generations of Glamrock revivals, I think we "get it" by now, wam bam, thank you m'am.) Once the main character's androgynous "issues" are established, you can sit back and enjoy a surprisingly traditional show-biz tale with just the right mixture of pathos, bathos and clever one-liners. Best of all, (one or two interminable Jim Steinman-style power ballads aside) someone has finally nailed the MUSIC...most of the songs sound like they were indeed composed by Mssrs. Pop, Bowie, Reed or Bolan and would hold up alongside the original artists' work. (I was noting the rich, Marshall-amped Ronsonesque power chord sound throughout and was surprised to see none other than Bob Mould pop up in the musician's credits at the end!) A breezy 90 minutes for rock musical fans and especially entertaining for 70's rock enthusiasts.
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