Boy Meets Girl

Eric Schaeffer's Boy Meets Girl is a rom-com with a difference. Barista Ricky (Michelle Hendley) and her best friend Robby (Michael Welch) are both looking for love, but she wants something lasting, while he's looking for a good time (Robby works as a mechanic at Ricky's father's garage). Since Ricky has had no luck with men, Robby encourages her to consider a woman, specifically Francesca (Alexandra Turshen), recently returned to their Kentucky town. Francesca is engaged, but experiences a spark with Ricky, not realizing that the latter is transgendered. When Ricky tells her, Francesca is surprised, but not disapproving, and the pair become friends. While Ricky hopes to attend fashion school to become a designer, Francesca plans to marry her soldier fiancé, David (Michael Galante), when he returns from Afghanistan (in high school, David was among Ricky's tormentors). Her father, and brother Sam (Joseph Ricci), support Ricky; if anything, Ricky has been like a parent to Sam since their disapproving mother's passing. When David comes home, he chastises Francesca for hanging out with a “tranny,” which doesn't change her feelings for Ricky, but threatens a friendship that was on the verge of becoming something more. While there are fairy tale elements here—bullies are vanquished and true love blooms in unexpected places—Ricky always feels more like a real person than a damsel in distress. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)