Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne's new movie, "The Danish Girl" is making a lot of buzz this week after its screening in the Toronto International Film Festival.
For many critics, the movie comes at a very timely manner - after all, it is the year of transgender women in Hollywood like Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox.
"The Danish Girl" follows the story of the world's first transgender woman, Lili Elbe/ Einar Wegener, set in Copenhagen circa 1930s, who discovered his sexuality after pretending to be and dressing as a woman for his wife's painting.
With the storyline at hand, it is natural for critics to be thinking of Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner).
"A year ago, nobody would have guessed that the man then known as Bruce Jenner would have anything in common with a prestigious period drama starring Eddie Redmayne," film critic Mara Reinsten wrote for US Magazine. " But now we call her Caitlyn. And it's impossible to not think of her - and her groundbreaking transgender journey - while watching the true story of the first man to undergo a sex-change operation."
Reinstein also cannot help but praise Eddie Redmayne for his successful transition as a woman in the movie.
"He's able to turn his body into a lithe, delicate figure," the critic wrote. "More impressive, he shows the transformation in his eyes. As Einar, they look hollow; as Lili, they twinkle."
On the other hand, Collider's Adam Chitwood said the film itself wasn't as brilliant as its actors.
"A bit stuffy but ultimately sensitive and moving," Chitwood said. "Redmayne is excellent, but this is (Alicia) Vikander's movie. She's tremendous."
Previously, Redmayne also expressed his appreciation of the struggles of people like Caitlyn Jenner since filming "The Danish Girl."
"My greatest ignorance when I started was that gender and sexuality were related," the actor told Out. "And that's one of the key things I want to hammer home to the world: You can be gay or straight, trans man or woman, and those two things are not necessarily aligned."
"The Danish Girl" will premiere in U.S. theaters Nov. 27.
