The lines between documentary and scripted feature can be blurred to great effect. I'm thinking of Josh Oppenheimer's The Art of War or Chloe Zhao's Nomadland.
Framing Agnes has similar ambitions, but is much less successful. The underlying material is quickly summarized. In the late 50s, a trans woman misled the UCLA Gender Clinic to access surgical options. In B&W reenactments, we are introduced to both Agnes, Dr. Garfinkel, and five other trans men and women who were part of Garfinkel's study.
The reenactments don't work. The director, Joynt, plays the good doctor, but his performance is a collection of affections in a suit. The actors interpret the UCLA interview transcripts, always with an eye to spotlighting Garfinkel's biases and shortsightedness. The almost obsessive fidgeting with the period costume, especially for the trans women, was distracting. The overall tone is "Hey, kids, let's put on a show."
There is much that does work here. Joynt's conversations with the trans actors outshine the reenactments. Pose's Angelica Ross makes a compelling case for an intersectional approach to trans studies. Actual footage of Christine Jorgensen, in which she is a proto-reality TV celeb was insightful. Laverne Cox's now famous Katie Couric interview is a fist-pumping moment every time I watch it.
The backbone of this movie is historian Jules Gill-Peterson, who comes across as both scholarly and personable. Posed in an adorable floral print dress before a blank background, she is the concession to the traditional documentary talking head. But she adds enough of herself to be fun to watch. I came away with a strong desire to interview her about her own story and career.
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