Espejo, Espejo (Mirror, Mirror)

Trailer.

Available Summary:

"Employees at a cosmetics firm grapple with their respective desires by arguing with themselves in the mirror, ahead of their company's anniversary party." -Netflix.

Jack's Summary:

This is a very strange film with a trans plotline that ended up being surprisingly moving. In fact, I would say that being trans is depicted more sensitively than any of the other topics explored throughout the movie.

The comedic bigotry in Espejo, Espejo can be summed up in one character; Alberto, also known as Tito. He is degraded for his weight, his hairline, his manner, and his clothing, and he never proves any of this bullying wrong. He is the laughing stock, not just of the characters but also of the viewers, and that's precisely how the writers intended it. What the writers do not seem to grasp, though, is that affirming trans men means affirming... well, men. If you are living in a larger body, if you are on testosterone and are balding, the physical characteristics which accompany living as your most authentic self are the basis of humiliation and worthlessness in this film.

The characters discuss many negative stereotypes, two of which being that trans people are freaks and that fat people are repulsive. By the end of the film, viewers are led to understand that, no, trans people are not freaks, but yes, fat people are repulsive. Specifically, fat men are repulsive, weird, inappropriate losers destined to embarrass themselves in front of others. The writers perceive two disparate groups with no overlap; fat men and trans men. The former deserving of humiliation and body shaming, the latter deserving of affirmation and respect. Of course, we know that life is not so tidy. To put it simply, the trans male affirmation in this film will not be enjoyable for everyone, since the trans male population is not solely comprised of skinny men, and the men/boys in our lives are similarly diverse.

To set the scene more broadly, Espejo-Espejo is based in a world where human beings have sentient reflections which are able to converse with their real-world counterparts, make independent decisions, and affect their counterparts' memories. These reflections are initially depicted as being aspects of their counterparts' personalities, but as the film progresses it becomes clear that the reflections are far more separate than that. They are not just a part of the same person, but another being with agency.

Cristian, initially introduced as Cristina, is a middle-aged trans man who works in the office of a cosmetics company, is married to a man named Mario, and is being pressured by his father to provide grandchildren. At the beginning of the film, his reflection is a feminine woman who refuses to allow Cris to admit to any discomfort with his life, saying, "We're great. We're pretty, we do our job well. Mario loves us. Dad adores us." Despite this, however, Cris is clearly unhappy, uncomfortable, and bored in his life.

Cristian's sister Paula, who works as a social media coordinator in the same office, produces a promotional video to rebrand the (decidedly toxic) company as inclusive. It features Ariel, a non-binary friend of Paula's, who Cris has briefly met in the past. Seeing them in the video unlocks something inside Cris, and the video's message resonates with him; "Don't be afraid to express yourself. Whoever you are. Be free. Be yourself."

After this, his reflection warps and his true self is revealed. Cris is initially confused because, as we learn later, his feminine reflection has been hiding his transness from him, and at the beginning of the movie he does not remember his gender non-conformity in childhood. It's an allegory for transitioning later in life, and transitioning in general, and it doesn't get too lost in the fantasy themes. His masculine reflection reveals childhood memories, which he watches in the mirror.

As the film progresses, Cris continues to explore his gender while wrestling with the expectations placed upon him. He watches YouTube videos featuring trans men and non-binary people, and learns about chest binding, different identities, and medically transitioning. He is overwhelmed by all of the unfamiliar terminology, and afraid of what transitioning will do to his personal and professional life, but he accepts that he needs to transition. Sensing this, his reflection warps into the feminine version once again, insisting that he must not transition; "Nobody would love Cristian. Nobody would love us." His reflection tells him to buy a dress and attend his company's anniversary party as normal.

Though he initially obeys his feminine reflection, he happens upon an after-hours party at a hairdressing salon, and enters on a whim, wanting to cut his hair short in defiance of his reflection. The party is predominantly LGBT+ and gender non-conforming people, including Ariel, the person from Paula's video. He briefly talks with them, drinks alcohol, takes MDMA, and stares longingly at photos of masculine haircuts.

An employee of the salon, named Pol, offers to cut Cris's hair. While looking at photos to figure out what he wants, Cris notices two photos of Pol on the wall; one pre-transition and prior to top surgery, and the other after he has affirmed his gender. Cris, who did not realise he was speaking to another trans man, is stunned and overjoyed. For the first time, Cris introduces himself as Cristian, and Pol shakes his hand in greeting. This scene is utterly gorgeous. We get to see a middle-aged trans man figuring out who he is, doing a bit of low-key partying, and having a tender conversation with a trans man who was able to affirm himself earlier in life. During this conversation, Cris has not modified any of his presentation, and is read entirely as a woman, but Pol believes him. I find this aspect of the scene very beautiful.

After this, Cris comes out to his sister. It is very different from his experience with Pol. In fact, this movie gleefully skips over the seriousness which typically (and understandably) accompanies scenes where trans people come out to family members. It was really refreshing and interesting to see transitioning explored in a comedic way, without the joke being Cris's gender itself.

He arrives at the company party and drunkenly congratulates Paula for her event speech. Paula, surprised by Cris's masculine presentation and obvious intoxication, questions him in a panic. He tries to come out, but is interrupted by a coworker tearfully confessing to Paula, then by Tito singing Paula a love song, then by the company receptionist committing arson. It's chaotic and ridiculous, and completely disarms the fear which often defines coming out scenes in media.

After this, the film takes a dark turn. As four characters flee down the hallway, trying to escape the arsonist's fire, their physical bodies begin to warp and distort. Except, this time, it's happening in the real world, not in the mirror. Their reflections are taking control, swapping places with their real world counterparts.

Cris is the only main character to get a conceivably happy (if quite ominous) ending. His masculine reflection, now inhabiting his body in the real world, reassures him and says that they will take the transition slowly. This is the fantasy equivalent of proceeding with a transition despite fear of how other people will react, and what the consequences will be...

...but the real Cris, like the other three main characters, ends the film by slowly turning to behold the void of darkness where he now exists. The difference between his ending and the other characters' endings is that his reflection has goals absolutely aligned with his, whereas Paula (for example) has been replaced by a crueller, more pragmatic version with different goals and standards, who is doing things which Paula would not.

All in all, this is quite an interesting film with a heaping load of fatphobia alongside some genuinely touching trans scenes. In terms of general warnings, in addition to what's already been mentioned, Espejo, Espejo includes workplace sexual harassment, misogyny, minor physical violence, and slurs.