The Garden Left Behind (2019) | Film Review

The most difficult stories are often the ones arising from the sheer complication of the issues inherently within their respective subject matter. The transgender community has been met with trepidation, bewilderment, and hostility from those lacking understanding for as long as anyone can remember. Of the few films focused on their plight, most of them center on how outsiders react to their journeys, as opposed to concentrating on those directly affected, the men and women simply attempting to live life on their own terms. In The Garden Left Behind, director Flavio Alves aims to change that.

Tina (Carlie Guevara) is an undocumented trans woman living with her grandmother, Eliana (Miriam Cruz), in Queens. Eliana has brought Tina to America from Mexico, and though she both sternly and affectionately still refers to her grandchild by her birth name of Antonio, Tina’s relationship with her grandmother is one of unwavering love and devotion. Despite her staunch refusal to call her Tina, Eliana is fiercely devoted to her grandchild.

Tina is in the process of several major life decisions. While trying to juggle her shaky relationship with Jason (Alex Cruz), her job driving New York passengers to their next stop, and her burgeoning career as an activist following an assault on another trans woman; Tina is also confronting the very real possibility of gender reassignment. To fully become the person she knows she should be will take an enormous amount of support, which she has in her best friend Carol (a scene-stealing Tamara M. Williams), as well as a hefty amount of cash, which she has far less of.

Flavio Alves elects to avoid typical Hollywood leanings and, aside from drive-by appearances from Michael Madsen and Ed Asner, he casts his film with actual trans actors. What stands out most about this choice is the degree of authenticity it lends to the community and their cause, as there is no element of “acting” ripping us out of Tina’s path towards self-discovery. The entirety of the film’s cast feels genuine, honest, and raw; more documentary in many respects than dramatic license. Guevara, in particular, emits a genuine warmth amidst her pained angst as Tina struggles with the various psychological requirements and emotional toil a transition such as this takes on a person.

While there are definite moments in the script that lend itself a bit too heavily on preaching tolerance versus allowing the narrative to flow naturally – and an awkward subplot revolving around a potential stalker from afar proves grossly melodramatic – the majority of The Garden Left Behind follows Tina’s path to becoming the woman she has always seen herself as.

Tina’s journey and Guevara’s captivating performance lead us through the humanity, struggle, and hope of the transgender experience in eye-opening fashion. Accepting yourself is one of the most difficult aspects of anyone’s life, and far too many films have focused on how everyone but those directly affected cope with society’s short-sightedness. Alves and crew have instead crafted a story that remains centered on one woman’s path towards inclusion and acceptance. Though it occasionally loses its way, The Garden Left Behind is definitely a step in the right direction.