Breakfast on Pluto

Based on Patrick McCabe's novel of the same name, Breakfast On Pluto has Neil Jordan preparing a potentially explosive mixture of gender, identity and politics to see what type of cocktail emerges. He shook the same ingredients in 1992's The Crying Game with powerful results. In Pluto, he stirs them gently with a touch more humour. Patrick "Kitten" Braden has never fit in; he's adopted, effeminate and likes wearing outlandish clothes. Leaving his chain-smoking foster mother behind in Ireland, he sets off to find his birth mother in London, which is, according to Kitten's mythological musings, "the biggest city in the world." Fearing London has "swallowed her up," Kitten uses every resource at his disposal; when he finally finds her, even he's surprised by what turns up. Last year, North American critics panned Breakfast On Pluto upon its release, even though it's a charming film: the cast is solid, including Cillian Murphy, who was nominated for a Golden Globe; the direction is strong, with an intelligent emphasis on identity; and the road movie narrative meanders beautifully, as Kitten establishes his sense of home in a hostile world. Though it's true that the chapter titles can sometimes be distracting, Pluto has far more going for it than critics would have you believe; it becomes a testament to the imagination, as Kitten survives by weaving his story into the film's reality, until he's forced to realise his stories are simply a mythology and not the facts he was hoping for. It also doesn't hurt to have supporting players like Stephen Rea, and Gavin Friday of the Virgin Prunes; Bryan Ferry even makes an appearance as a psychotic punter. Extras include commentary by Neil Jordan and Cillian Murphy, and an informative "behind the scenes" featurette. (Sony)