Amoeba Music

First you must know that, to me, men or women in drag are magical creatures - like unicorns. I love them with a wonderment I can't explain or dare not lest I somehow diffuse the potent joy I get just from admiring their mystical powers of fashion and daring.

That said, Breakfast unfolded for me like a rose in the gutter. At first a quaint story of a misfit orphan in an unflinching Irish landscape, it quickly becomes a quixotic journey of a boy/girl in search of love. And the best part is that our hero/heroine, who has always known who he/she is, just becomes more and more himself/herself no matter the hardship or heartache.

Cillian Murphy is unrecognizable as Patrick "Kitten" Braden. His transformation from his last well known lead, Jim, in the frightening 28 Days Later is nothing short of phenomenal. And I don't just mean his shade of lipstick, which is stunning by the way. It is his courage to commit completely to Kitten in all her shame and glory. As a whole director Neil Jordan has surrounded Kitten with grime and glitter, a perfect setting for her reality and what she longs for. Kitten's misadventures have her facing monsters of all shapes and disguises but though her heart breaks it never shatters completely.

There are fabulous performances from all her costars with my favorite being Stephen Rea whose morose magician literally casts a spell on Kitten to keep her close. It is a nuanced performance of comic genius and you can't help feeling a little sorry for him as Kitten escapes his pathetic but nefarious clutches.

A fairy tale and all including fuzzy animals, a phantom lady and a "great big fire proof man," Breakfast on Pluto is a whimsical look at the dangerous cost of being nothing but yourself.