It may seem odd to present a story about a transsexual person coming to terms with their identity as a comedy-drama, but often humor is the best way to approach a sensitive subject. 'Transamerica' acts as evidence to that point; even the title is a play on words, referencing both the trans community in the United States and the idea of journeying across it. Accordingly, this is a road-trip movie, with transgender woman Bree taking a trip across the nation with her long-lost son Toby, looking to find a connection with him
Felicity Huffman stars as Bree, which is a significant departure from her famous 'Desperate Housewives' role. In a scenario that Caitlin Jenner could probably sympathize with, she's struggling to reconcile being transgender with being conservative; and that's before her troubled son re-appears in her life. Both of them have significant obstacles to overcome in order to maintain a relationship.