Rent Girl (2018)

3.5 of 5 from 137 ratings
1h 42min
Rent Girl (aka Under My Skin) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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Synopsis:
Determined 15-year-old Lara (an astonishing performance from newcomer Victor Polster) is a young woman who is fiercely committed to becoming a professional ballerina. She throws herself into this quest at a new school, but finds the usual frustrations and challenges of adolescence are heightened as her body does not bend to easily to the strict ballet discipline because she was born a boy. Though supported by her family, Lara's adolescent frustrations and impatience are heightened as she prepares for gender reassignment surgery, pushing her body to its limits.
Based on empowering real-life experiences, the award-winning 'Girl' is a powerful and sensitively told story about the nuances of growing up transgender and the struggle that can motivate or define that process.
Actors:
Victor Polster, , Oliver Bodart, , , , Magali Elali, , Alain Honorez, , , Marie-Louise Wilderijckx, Virginia Hendricksen, , , , , , , Anthime Breyne
Directors:
Producers:
Dirk Impens
Writers:
Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens
Others:
Lukas Dhont
Aka:
Under My Skin
Studio:
Curzon / Artificial Eye
Genres:
Drama
Collections:
Top 10 Award Winners at the London Film Festival, Top Films
Countries:
Belgium
Awards:

2018 Cannes Camera d'Or

2018 Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Best Performance

BBFC:
Release Date:
06/05/2019
Run Time:
102 minutes
Languages:
English Audio Description, English Dolby Digital 2.0, English Dolby Digital 5.1, Flemish Audio Description Dolby Digital 5.1, Flemish Dolby Digital 2.0, Flemish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Audio Description, French Dolby Digital 2.0, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:
English, English Hard of Hearing
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.66:1
Colour:
Colour

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Reviews (4) of Girl

sensitive - Girl review by jM

Spoiler Alert
14/11/2019

Beautifully and sensitively portrayal of a teenaged boy, aspiring to be a ballet dancer, who underwent a sex-change. While there would be a temptation to push things to extremes, the wonderfully underplayed role on the young actor left you in no doubt at any moment how he was feeling without his expressing his emotions verbally.

2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

Moving, convincing, educational, superbly acted - Girl review by JA

Spoiler Alert
12/09/2022

Loved this film on many levels, all the better for not having read the synopsis beforehand. Who could fail to be moved, or to empathise, with the central character and her father? Love shines throughout, inspiring. The best films inspire and educate us, expanding our experience of lives we've not lived, but could have. This is such a film. Could I have been such a good Dad? I'd like to think so. Brilliant.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

A hammerblow of a film, with a stunning performance by Victor Polster - Girl review by TB

Spoiler Alert
14/06/2023

I had heard a lot about this film, mainly the controversy around it, which always to me is a red flag, in the sense that it wasn't actually going to be that controversial.

And I actually want to deal with and scotch that matter before I continue: this is a film which is based on a true story. The director Lukas Dhont worked extensively and extremely closely with the individual who it is about. And this trans-woman has repeatedly and passionately defended the film, saying that it is absolutely accurate & clear in its portrayal of what she went through. To me, that is what matters. There are now many many more films about trans experiences out there, so if this is not something that a particular individual likes or agrees with, there is plenty of choice.

The film itself is so effective at communicating how horrific the experience of the main character's gender dysphoria feels. We as the audience repeatedly are shown the horror and discomfort Lara feels in the body she was born in. It is also welcome in this film that her parents actually are written like proper parents would act: concerned, frustrated and at times exasperated and lost at what to do.

The journey of Lara progressing through not only her treatment but also trying to become a ballet dancer are extremely well shot and written. There is joy followed by heartache, as well as triumphs that make you cheer. Polster is a professional dancer in real life, and this pays dividends to being able to fully realise that element of the story.

But Polster's acting is also outstanding. The film would have failed totally without him and the fact that this is his first performance is all the more staggering.

The main thing that stops this from getting 5 stars is the ending. Unfortunately, a lot of the sterling work done by everyone gets in some ways derailed by the final shots. But this is a small price to pay for the journey taken.

Heartbreaking, painful and ultimately an unbelievably powerful portrait of transition

0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.

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