This film is about a transvestite on one level, but it is also a lot more: it's about, belonging, being, loving and being loved. What could have been a one-dimensional caricature becomes a three dimensional movie in the hands of a good director like Neil Jordan, and actors such as Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, and Cillian Murphy (who is magnificent).

Cillian Murphy imbues Patrick "Kitten" with growing dignity as he/she matures through the film, and at the end she has become a self-assured woman, who has 'found' family, her mother and father, and a meaning in life.

The film does not shy away from the Irish-English conflict, either, and the prejudice directed against "Paddy" is appalling, reminiscent of "In the Name of the Father." It is not for the faint-hearted, be aware! Costumes and music of the late 60's / early 70's are both equally impressive. There is an excellent soundtrack.

In all, I found the film quirky and uplifting; a friend with me pronounced it "depressing". Whatever, it needs to be seen and Provo's an interesting view of the times in which the story is set. Judge for ourself.

Young Irish lad, having been abandoned as a baby on the doorstep of a Catholic church, grows up around other orphaned kids but shows an early interest in cross-dressing, much to the concern of his elders (the other children don't even seem to notice and accept him unconditionally). As a teenager in early-'70s Ireland, he leaves home for a life of misadventures on the road, first as a muse to a glam-rock singer, as partner to a magician, later a terrorist suspect and then a sex-club employee before going back to his roots. Director Neil Jordan, who also adapted the script from Patrick McCabe's book, can't seem to make this journey a pointed or funny escapade--he tries too hard to tug at our heartstrings, yet his wayward narrative bounces us around too much to care. The political upheaval in Ireland isn't good material to match with the theme of a struggling drag queen (nicknamed "Kitten"), and Cillian Murphy's lead performance is shallow and meager. Talking in a whispery, halting sing-song, Murphy doesn't use his gangly body to convey the character's language--he leads off with his voice (talking baby talk), saucer eyes and pouty lips, and one tires of him almost immediately (the youngster playing the role as a child is much more interesting, not to mention subtle). Liam Neeson has little to do as a priest (his big moment comes in a fantasy sequence where he dives across a room to molest the housekeeper), however Gavin Friday is wonderfully, romantically intense as singer Billy Hatchett (perhaps modeled after Gary Glitter) and Stephen Rea is nicely forlorn as the magician (although his attachment to Murphy is uncomfortably reminiscent of Jordan's "The Crying Game", which Rea also co-starred in). The film isn't badly made, but it rambles until finally petering out; ultimately, the small comic touches and hot soundtrack fail to make "Pluto" worthwhile in the end. *1/2 from ****

I remembered the title of this film, and the leading star, but I knew nothing else about, I read about it, it sounded interesting, and it had a good cast, I hoped it would be worthwhile, written and directed by Neil Jordan (Mona Lisa, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, The Brave One). Basically set in the 1970s in the Irish town of Tyrellin, near the border of Northern Ireland, Patrick 'Kitten' Braden (Cillian Murphy) is a transgender cross-dressing teenager, he was abandoned as a baby and raised by Father Liam (Liam Neeson). He decides to leave his town and go on a journey, in part because his nature is beyond the understanding of the people around him, and in the hope of finding his long-lost mother. Along the way, Kitty becomes part of a rock band, falls in love with the lead singer, has brushes with the IRA (Irish Republican Army), gets arrested by London police, works in a peep show, and poses as a survey researcher for a phone company. Throughout, her nationality and her nature put her at great risk, and makes many discoveries about her friends and family, but he does everything he can to keep going. Also starring Stephen Rea as Bertie, Brendan Gleeson as John Joe Kenny, Eva Birthistle as Eily Bergin, Liam Cunningham as Mosher, 1st Biker, Bryan Ferry as Mr. Silky String, Loving's Ruth Negga as Charlie, Ian Hart as PC Wallis, Steven Waddington as Inspector Routledge, Ruth McCabe as Ma Braden, Dominic Cooper as Squaddie at Disco and James Greene as Gentleman. Murphy is likeable being overly flamboyant, Rea is good as a sensitive magician, and Neeson gets his time as the emotionally tortured priest, it is convincing with its 1970s glam-rock time period, and the political and sinister unease of the time is present, but it isn't quite the colourful fantasy for me, I found a majority of it slow paced, and didn't laugh very much, I could almost say it was boring, an average comedy drama. Okay, in my opinion!