Director: Lorene Machado

Writer: Margaret Cho (writer)

Release Date: 2005 (USA)

Bam Bam (Bruce Daniels) and Celeste (Margaret Cho) have been best friends since high school. They are both misfits, who have grown up together in a small, all white Illinois town and have always been the subject of torment due to their fashion styles, ethnicity, and Bam Bams over the top “campness”. Celeste turns the television on, and sees a commercial for Salon Mirage (a world famous style salon that works with contestants on TRADING FACES) that features two of her and Bam Bam’s nemeses from High School.

This causes Bam Bam and Celeste to reflect on their lives. They are still living in the same town, they are still being verbally tormented, work fairly unsuccessfully in the beauty industry, and Celeste still lives at home with “Mommy” also played hilariously by Cho. An ad requesting contestants to be in a make over show in NY called TRADING FACES inspires Celeste to talk Bam Bam into applying and coming on a road trip with her. During their trip they have some very funny encounters including being rescued by the only dyke in the village (Jane Lynch) and a quick escape due to Bam Bam’s gas siphoning abilities!

During the road trip, Celeste receives several calls phone from the TRADING FACES show co-ordinator (Alan Cumming) who (we discover) happens to be Celeste's e-mail pal who has a big crush on her. He sees to it that Bam Bam and Celeste are put on the show... but will Celeste learn to love herself for herself, score a date, keep her friendship intact with Bam Bam and impress the judges of the TRADING FACES show when they happen to be their high-school nemeses?

Some parts of this movie has parallels to Romy and Michelle’s High school reunion, however it is a very enjoyable and uplifting movie, with an optimistic ending. In parts the high school bullies are overly mean for their age. Margret Cho and Bruce Daniels play their roles excellently and make their characters very loveable!

Margret Cho fans will enjoy the Mommy scenes; she also managed to incorporate some of her stand up comedy into the movie, which was brilliant to watch! And of course Mommy saves the day! Definitely worth watching!

Showing at MQFF, Sunday, 16^th March @ 6pm

Tags: MQFF