Soldier's Girl

TV-MA

2003

1 hr. 52 min.

Drama

List

88%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1997, new Army recruit Barry Winchell (Troy Garity) is assigned to a base in Tennessee. He quickly befriends the quick-tempered Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy), who struggles with drug problems. One night, they venture out to a local bar hosting a drag show. Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), a transsexual drag queen, fascinates Barry, and they strike up a relationship. As Barry and Calpernia grow closer, Justin becomes bitter and recruits another soldier (Philip Eddolls) to help get revenge.

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Stefanie l

This movie was incredible, but also heartbreaking. It shows how close minded as well as being mentally I'll is an incredibly dangerous thing. Definitely worth watching.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I almost didn't watch this movie because of the cheesy movie poster, but I'm so glad I pressed play. I found the Army training scenes super cringe because of its incorporation of grainy documentary style b-roll, but luckily, the scenes did not distract from the movie's plot. On the flip side, the barrack scenes very successfully depicted how destructive of an atmosphere the "don't ask don't tell" era of the military created in combination with its usual toxic masculinity culture. This tragic love story only became more poignant when I found out it was based on true events. The actors did such an amazing job of depicting all the happiness, sadness, anger, love, and fear that the real people must have felt. I loved this movie, and I wish I had found it sooner.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

nilufer e

I liked the story however it would be way better if the acting was any better and if it didn't feel so cheap like a TV movie. It wasn't boring though, was even interesting to a level.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Overall I though it was a very powerful and sad movie. It makes is so clear why the military recruits in the schools. These people are in their late teens early,very early 20's. They are barely adults in some ways and are overwhelmingly working class of course; that's why unemployment is good for the military as it offers working class youth the best options more often than not. I've seen numerous films about training and the machismo so it must be pretty accurate when it depicts the abuse and humiliation that they are put through. The military has to do this to drive any independent critical thought out of them; they must learn never to question. It is not necessary to do this of course if they were actually used for defense of our rights as opposed to predatory wars of occupation and plunder. The enemy has to be demonized, portrayed as a lesser type of human or not human at all. The film was made 17 years ago and if you get a chance watch the extras on disc i recommend it. I got the sense in the film that protagonist was a person trying to figure out where they fit in life's puzzle. The Antagonist, a nasty little bastard was, I thought a repressed gay person in a homophobic environment, whether that was the director's intent I don't know. He was jealous of the protagonist because he had a relationship, a close friendship with a transgender woman a "freak", something he wanted. The relationship between Winchell and the transgender woman , one of love and tenderness comes through very clearly in the movie. She was good in the interviews after. I would like to meet her. There was one bad review I wanted to read but couldn't pull it up. Anyway, I'm not a film critic but this is a very good film that should remind us all that there is no need to be threatened by those that are not quite like us. The ridiculous idea that that a gay person is less capable of certain jobs than a heterosexual or that they can't work with other men or women because they walk around all day wanting to have sex with everyone is just nonsense.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Brutally honest and real

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Saw this movie years ago at my Dad's, we were both always into True Crime. I would watch it again, but it is a VERY SAD Story!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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Frank Pierson

Director

Troy Garity

Barry Winchell

Lee Pace

Calpernia Addams

Andre Braugher

Sergeant Carlos Diaz

Shawn Hatosy

Justin Fisher

Philip Eddolls

Calvin Glover

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John Leonard

New York Magazine/Vulture

All three principal performances are superb.

Jan 30, 2018

Full Review

Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Well, they need to just shut up and open their eyes. Soldier's Girl is not only the best film ever made by and for Showtime, it's also one of the best pictures of the year.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 15, 2005

Full Review

Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

... a reluctant thumbs-down.

Jun 2, 2003

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 3/5

Dec 6, 2005

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Film Threat

Rated: 3/5

Jan 15, 2005

Full Review

MaryAnn Johanson

Flick Filosopher

Garity... is a rarity among young actors today: He's passionate.

Jun 10, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1997, new Army recruit Barry Winchell (Troy Garity) is assigned to a base in Tennessee. He quickly befriends the quick-tempered Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy), who struggles with drug problems. One night, they venture out to a local bar hosting a drag show. Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), a transsexual drag queen, fascinates Barry, and they strike up a relationship. As Barry and Calpernia grow closer, Justin becomes bitter and recruits another soldier (Philip Eddolls) to help get revenge.

Director: Frank Pierson
Screenwriter: Ron Nyswaner
Production Co: Miramax
Rating: TV-MA (S|L|D|V), R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 2019
Sound Mix: Surround