Reviewed by Melissa Antoinette Garza
I heard of this movie, like I hear of most that don’t get a wide theatrical release, via my Amazon account. Currently, it was only available for purchase, but it seemed something right up my alley. I ended up buying it and I’m very glad I did.
It’s a mix of TO SIR WITH LOVE (1967) and ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (1992). The film begins with Richard Martinez (Roy Haylock) a New York City substitute teacher who is down on his luck and living in a rat infested apartment undergoing construction.
He is offered a teaching job in Texas and gladly accepts it. Richard adores science and can’t wait to engage the students by making chemistry fun. It is then that he meets angry Vice Principal Deb (Rachel Dratch). She gives him a Creationism book, insists he never call her ‘Debbie’, admonishes him for being early and sends him to his class.
There he meets a slew of disruptive students. They are looked upon as the worst class as most are failing. Among the group there are popular snobs, jocks and then there’s Bobby (Kaleb King) who I wanted to adopt. He’s an outcast who is constantly picked on and tortured. Deb calls him names including “retard.” King does an amazing job garnishing sympathy for Bobby. Anyone who wasn’t Miss or Mister Popularity in school, can relate to the countless and seemingly endless acts of cruelty that happened in high school.
Richard tries to be very friendly with the whole class and when he receives a box of chocolates from two of his students, he eats them only to find out they were laced with laxatives. He doesn’t lose control and is ready to give it another go. He even shows up at a football game in full support of the school team.
Deb dislikes him from the get-go. She sends her daughter Carly (Molly Ryman) to flirt with Richard wanting to know if her suspicions about his sexuality are correct. When Richard doesn’t reciprocate the affection, Deb searches online and finds an old dating profile on a website. She gives it to the principal and Richard is fired. Sadly, he finds out that in Texas (and a lot of other states) there is no law protecting people from being terminated based on their sexuality.
He decides to drown his sorrows and there he meets Karma (Bianca Leigh) a club owner, radio talk show host and transgender woman. She builds his confidence back up. Richard decides not to give up and leave town.
Instead, he becomes Bianca Del Rio. He dresses in cool 60s style dresses, sports gorgeous makeup and shows back up to the school taking his old position back. Of course, no one knows Bianca is Richard. Well, except the janitor who takes Bianca’s side and keeps quiet. The janitor also faces discrimination because she is a little person so the two develop a fun friendship where they cordially exchange insults.
Bianca helps Bobby stand up for himself and teaches him ways to defend against attackers. Keely (Tea McKay) and Amber (Berkley McFarlin), the cheerleaders with the chocolates even come around to Bianca’s approach. The entire class’s GPA increases tremendously and the principal decides to nominate Bianca as Teacher of the Year.
Deb wants her daughter to have the award and does everything she can to stop Bianca. She even recruits her hillbilly brother to kidnap Bianca to stop her from attending the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Karma reveals to Bianca that her brother is the coach at the school. They haven’t spoken to one another in years. Though, Bianca promise not to meddle, she does. She finds out that the coach isn’t homophobic and actually really misses Karma who he remembers as his younger brother. A romance brews between Bianca and the coach, much to Karma’s dismay.
This is a really fun movie. It definitely has a positive message of tolerance and it purposefully shows within the tale how intolerance impacts people in the real world. It shows the consequences, like living in a ragged apartment or being savagely beaten up without authority helping in any way.
It is beyond disturbing that in many states, there are no laws protecting one from being fired for their sexuality or for being transgender.
Deb also played a crucial role because Dratch perfectly shows the hypocrisy of Deb’s actions vs her faith. She is so judgmental, demanding, cunning and cruel. She is further revealed to be a hypocrite at the conclusion of the film.
As significant as the statements within the movie, mostly it’s just fun. There are definitely sad and dramatic moments, but once Bianca comes into the picture, watching her rage against the machine is hilarious. Bianca’s best friends from New York are hysterical.
Both RuPaul and Alan Cumming (who seriously hasn’t aged since ROMY AND MICHELLE’S HIGHSCHOOL RENUION [1997]) have entertaining cameos throughout.
As one can probably tell, I highly recommend this movie. I also BEG whomever did Bianca’s make-up to do a slow detailed tutorial because I would love to wear my makeup like that. It’s just gorgeous. I’ve always loved and been attracted to the over-the-top, flashy and sexy look of club drag queens. There’s something about the flaunt and confidence of it all that is so damn alluring! Since, the hubby won’t allow me to do his make-up that way, I may as well learn to do it on myself.
This was my first into to Roy Haylock and Bianca, but I know that a sequel is in the works and that there is a comedy special. I can’t wait to see them both.
It’s only $9.99 to purchase in SD via Amazon. Even if it’s available to rent by the time you read this review, I’d suggest just to buy it. It’s a film you’ll watch more than once.
The only major suggestion I have is to stay with the flick until Bianca shows up. I didn’t find the beginning slow, but I know a few who said they thought the first act was clunky. That said, I don’t know anyone who disliked the film (which is a rarity). Everyone I know who watched it, enjoyed it immensely.
Quick note, I tried to make certain I was utilizing the proper pronouns and appropriate language and terms. If I failed or messed up in an area or two, I apologize. Hit me up and I’ll gladly change it.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
