No Ordinary Man

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1 hr. 20 min.

Documentary

Music

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94%

34 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

American jazz musician Billy Tipton developed a reputable touring and recording career in the mid-twentieth century, along with his band The Billy Tipton Trio. After his death in the late 80s, it was revealed that Tipton was assigned female at birth, and his life was swiftly reframed as the story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. The genre-defying documentary NO ORDINARY MAN seeks to correct that misrepresentation by collaborating with trans artists. As they collectively celebrate Tipton's story as a musician living his life according to his own terms, they paint a portrait of a trans culture icon. NO ORDINARY MAN features leading voices and breakout stars in the trans community, including Marquise Vilsón, Scott Turner Schofield, Susan Stryker, C. Riley Snorton, and Thomas Page McBee, among others.

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Critics Consensus

A strikingly nuanced documentary, No Ordinary Man pays moving tribute to its subject's remarkable life -- and lasting impact on the lives of others.

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L

Not just the recontextualization of Billy Tipton's life and reclaimation of his male identity, but also a thoughtful exploration of trans-men and the trans-masculine experience.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/29/21

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Audience Member

A touching and intriguing discussion about the life of an incredibly brave and private trans man musician in the mid 1900s.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Aisling Chin-Yee

Director

Chase Joynt

Director

Billy Tipton

Self

Marquise Vilson

Self

Scott T. Schofield

Self

Susan Stryker

Self

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No Ordinary Man: Trailer 1

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G. Allen Johnson

San Francisco Chronicle

There's one big problem about "No Ordinary Man: The Billy Tipton Documentary": It's not really about Billy Tipton.

Rated: 1/4

Jul 26, 2021

Full Review

Angie Han

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

I think what this movie does really well is figure out how to look at the past through our present lens without disregarding or dishonoring the past.

Jul 23, 2021

Full Review

Gary Goldstein

Los Angeles Times

This is a compelling, often profound film, one that creatively surmounts its inherent limitations and shines a vital and heartfelt light on being transgender.

Jul 22, 2021

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Juan Barquin

them.

Where other documentaries glance across the surface of what representation means for trans audiences and how its history has impacted the present, No Ordinary Man takes a narrower and more in-depth approach.

Nov 2, 2022

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Dan Bayer

Next Best Picture

Genuinely feels like a film that really could change the world because of how simple yet forcefully it lays out the facts of Billy's experience.

Rated: 9/10

May 10, 2022

Full Review

David Reddish

Queerty

No Ordinary Man chronicles a life almost lost to history. Its a fascinating character portrait, and a subtle reminder that, yes, LGBTQ people have existed throughout history.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 13, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

American jazz musician Billy Tipton developed a reputable touring and recording career in the mid-twentieth century, along with his band The Billy Tipton Trio. After his death in the late 80s, it was revealed that Tipton was assigned female at birth, and his life was swiftly reframed as the story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. The genre-defying documentary NO ORDINARY MAN seeks to correct that misrepresentation by collaborating with trans artists. As they collectively celebrate Tipton's story as a musician living his life according to his own terms, they paint a portrait of a trans culture icon. NO ORDINARY MAN features leading voices and breakout stars in the trans community, including Marquise Vilsón, Scott Turner Schofield, Susan Stryker, C. Riley Snorton, and Thomas Page McBee, among others.

Director: Aisling Chin-Yee, Chase Joynt
Executive Producer: Lindsey Dryden
Screenwriter: Amos Mac, Aisling Chin-Yee
Distributor: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Production Co: Parabola Films
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 16, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 21, 2021

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