'Tangerine': An artificial Christmas in July

Sean Baker's Tangerine is an independent film shot entirely on three separate iPhone 5 cameras. It follows the lives of various communities living in Los Angeles for 24 hours on Christmas Eve. The only glimpse of artificial nature in this film is the idea of Christmas in LA, which is a reoccurring theme. There are strong character investments as they go about their daily lives that can be compared to an entertaining train wreck of a Jerry Springer or Maury Povich episode. Set to a score that sounds as if Tangerine Dream were placed in a blender with Skrillex. Tangerine is an entertaining, comedic, and serious look at the American Dream. If It's A Wonderful Life is the American Dream film, Tangerine is the antithesis of that ethos.

Alexandra (Mya Taylor) and Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) are two transgender sex workers catching up right after Sin-Dee was released from prison. Alexandra acts as the instigator of this Jerry Springer-Maury Povich moment when she tells Sin-Dee her pimp boyfriend Chester (James Ransone) has been cheating on her with a Caucasian girl. Sin-Dee storms out of the doughnut shop, and with Alexandra by her side, they try to get to the bottom of the malicious rumour. Sin-Dee and Alexandra eventually split up, and the break allows for audiences members to see the various subcultures in Los Angeles. An Armenian family man named Razmik (Karren Karagulian) runs a cab service and shares intimate Taxicab Confessions moments with every passenger that enters his taxi. All of the characters are chasing that American Dream, but seem to be failing at it, in the same way that Christmas in Los Angeles feels artificial. The subcultures collide and create one of the most disastrous reunions at the end of the film. 

Tangerine not only challenges the way films are made, it calls attention to various subcultures rarely portrayed on film, and with the issues of transgender phobia. Having the transgender community at the center, we see how there are positive and negative reactions in the community through the film's realistic approach as Sin-Dee and Alexandra interact with the people around them. If you can put up with the idea of having an artificial Christmas, Tangerine is sure to bring the holiday spirit with its uncensored look at LA at Christmastime.

Rating: 4/5