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The Aggressives

The Aggressives (2005)

tomatometer

80

Average Rating: 7/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 1

No consensus yet.

audience

54

liked it
Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 119

My Rating

Movie Info

Filmmaker Daniel Peddle offers a look at a little-examined side of lesbian culture in this documentary. "Aggressives" is a name used by some for women who prefer relationships with women, but choose to emphasize the masculine side of their personalities -- often to the extent of living in male drag, and through dress and exercise emphasizing their resemblance to men while toning down their female side. In The Aggressives, Peddle introduces us to six women who feel most comfortable while they

PG,

Documentary, Special Interest

Jun 20, 2006

Gravitas

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All Critics (12) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (1)

It's just a loose collection of interviews about its subjects' feelings and back stories.

October 7, 2005
New York Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

In a movie that deals with controversial sexual, racial and class issues, the boldest observation is the most basic: that we each have the right to define our own realities, and live comfortably within them.

October 7, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Daily News
New York Daily News
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A novel, accomplished documentary about a subset of New York City lesbians.

October 6, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times
New York Times
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The Aggressives is more than just performance studies, as Peddle includes ample footage of real-life hardship.

October 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Village Voice
Village Voice
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Crisp, concise, intimate.

October 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Variety
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The fact that all of these women live their not-easy lives with such a guilt-free lack of apology and pride is one of the strongest statements I can think of about how far and positively we've come since Stonewall.

October 22, 2005 Full Review Source: Film Journal International
Film Journal International

Reminds us of the vast range of physical, mental and emotional attributes the human race can encompass.

October 8, 2005 Full Review Source: Film Threat
Film Threat

Peddle captures a vital and increasingly visible community that's easily misunderstood.

October 7, 2005 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Audience Reviews for The Aggressives

This is a good modern companion piece to the classic Paris is Burning, only this time around the subjects are on the lesbian wavelength.

The director did an excellent job at selecting truly compelling people and edits it all (6 years of footage) to make a beautiful and comprehensible timeline of events in these people's lives. This is a "microscope" doc, like Paris is Burning and Gendernauts, and focuses on people within one small community. Still the things they deal with are universal and the issues of gender and sexuality addressed can benefit anyone in terms of broadening your perspective.

The director is very minimally invasive, almost invisible, and the subjects are utterly open and comfortable with the camera. Can't recommend it enough.
October 21, 2009
Stinger839

Super Reviewer

I liked this mainly because it is a subculture that I have not been exposed to. I was totally behind what the participants were striving for. Good on Daniel Peddle for giving us a glimpse over a five year period. Nice commitment pays off.
January 3, 2012
John Ballantine

Super Reviewer

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