In one of the strangest and most effective musicals to come along in a long time, John Cameron Mitchell delivers an astounding performance as Hedwig, a transsexual glam-rock singer. She tells her sad story in obnoxious songs from behind the sneeze guard at a chain of Denny's-like restaurants while the patrons attempt to eat their Super Slams. The story is presented in flashbacks, each song prompting one, that gradually explain why Hedwig and her band, the Angry Inch, are stalking superstar rock singer Tommy Gnosis, played by Michael Pitt.

Hedwig started life as Hansel in East Berlin. As Hansel, life was hard. His mother brought men home on a daily basis and sometimes made Hansel play in the oven to get out of the way. Young Hansel meets and falls in love with Sgt. Luther Robinson (Maurice Dean Wint), an airman at the West Berlin base. They want to go to America together, but the only way to get Hansel out is for her to have a sex change operation and marry Luther. The operation is botched, and Hansel becomes Hedwig, the "angry inch" being the product of the unsuccessful operation.

Luther quickly abandons Hedwig in a trailer in Kansas where she turns tricks at the army base and babysits for the children of officers. She meets Tommy, the shy son of the base commander, and the two fall in love. They write songs together and prepare superstardom. When Tommy discovers Hedwig's secret, he abandons her too, records their songs without mentioning Hedwig, and becomes an overnight sensation, leaving Hedwig to her lunch buffet crooning. Hedwig's band is made up of immigrants from Eastern Europe, and she rules them with an iron hand because she holds their work visas hostage. One of them, the guitarist Yitzhak (Miriam Shor), is in love with Hedwig, but has to settle for doting on her because of Hedwig's single-minded pursuit of her old flame.

Mitchell creates a truly tragic figure in Hedwig; where she could have been simply a caricature with a Farrah Fawcett hairdo, she is a completely sympathetic character. Mitchell is also a wonderful singer, and since this is a musical, this helps. The supporting cast is good too, especially Michael Pitt as the conflicted rock star. I was really impressed with him, especially after seeing him as an empty-headed burnout in Larry Clark's recent Bully. Finally, since this is indeed a musical, it helps that the soundtrack is definitely worth buying.