Tomboy Review

It's one thing being a tomboy, it’s another passing yourself off as a boy as ten year-old Laure (Zoé Héran) finds out in this French drama. When her family moves home, she tells new pal Lisa (Jeanne Disson) her name is Michael — pretty easy to pull off with her short hair, boyish clothes and a pre-pubescent figure. Soon ‘Michael’ is growing closer to Lisa and playing football with the boys, but darkly amusing obstacles present themselves during pee breaks and swimming expeditions. Beautifully filmed and performed, this raises brave questions about Laure’s sexuality and sexual identity, while leaving most answers to our imagination. It’s no Boys Don’t Cry, but it’s an atmospheric, nostalgic portrait of a naive childhood deception which will resonate with anyone who told a fib or two in their youth — crossdressers or otherwise.