Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story (2014)

Directors: Sandrine Orabona & Mark Herzog
Run Time: 84 min.
Call Number: HQ77.8.B43 A3 2014

"In Lady Valor, we see former Navy Seal and transgender activist Kristin Beck rifle through pain medication and apply heat patches, daily reminders of her seven combat deployments. We see her tear up discussing her estranged relationship with her two sons. The wounds are so fresh, one can help but wince. . . . Throughout the film, Beck is misgendered. Her friends give her hurtful if well-meaning advice, explaining away others' hate as a simple matter of opinion. Still, she soldiers on. There is no trace of bitterness, no subtext of resentment. Beck is so matter-of-fact, we forget she’s doing so much heavy lifting.
—Brandon Watson, The Austin Chronicle