Culture

Directed and written by John Cameron Mitchell. Starring: John Cameron Mitchell, Miriam Shor, Andrea Martin, Michael Pitt.

Hedwig is in a bit of a slump. She’s on tour with the band the Angry Inch, but the gigs they play aren’t in flashy arenas; they are in fast food and cafés. The band is tailing superstar Tommy Gnosis. Hedwig’s after him because she wrote all his songs - that are now becoming mega hits – but, due to a messy breakup between the two, he’s gone solo and has taken all her songs with him.
 

While following Tommy and seeking revenge, she’s also looking for her other half, someone who completes her. On the way we find out where Hedwig came from. Born a boy (Hansel) in East Germany the very same year the Berlin Wall was erected, life was a wee bit shit. Music kept the wee lad going, even if he may have been confined to playing it in the oven. An opportunity to escape the hellhole comes in the form of an American G.I. The only problem is that in order to make a convincing bride, Hansel has to remove his ding-dong. The operation is a complete catastrophe leaving Hansel, who has now become Hedwig, with just an “angry inch”. As the song goes, “Six inches forward/Five inches back/I’ve got an angry inch”. The G.I divorces her on their one-year anniversary, which just happens to be the very same day the Berlin Wall comes down – guts bro. Left in America with next to nothing, Hedwig slaps on a bit of make-up and a wig and starts up a band to make some coin. The band grows into its current form – Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

 
I probably should have mentioned that this is a musical, which is pretty important. So if you aren’t into plot being propelled by song, then this possibly won’t be the movie for you. In saying that, it’s not in the vein of Hairspray or Annie but more akin to Rocky Horror or Rent, with glam rock being the genre of music. It certainly took me a wee while to get into, but the film soon grabs you. While the music is frequent I didn’t find it too overpowering; then again I have been known to indulge in a musical or two. While the story is sad in moments, it’s also, most importantly, hilarious.