Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts Documentary Review: An Intimate Story
Moving Parts is a documentary on Netflix about Brian Firkus and his drag queen persona, Trixie Mattel. Trixie rose to more mainstream fame after being on a few seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and I have been obsessed with her for the past few weeks. This documentary, while it is about Trixie Mattel, her stage presence, and her humorous personality, is also very much an intimate exploration of Brian’s behind-the-scenes life as he works hard at navigating his career and personal relationships. I absolutely loved watching it and getting a closer look into Brian’s personality and struggles. If you are someone who is even the slightest bit familiar with Trixie Mattel through her appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race, her makeup line, or her absolutely hilarious show “UNHhhh” on YouTube, this documentary is a must watch. But even if you have no idea who Trixie Mattel is, I think this documentary will still be a really interesting look into the life of a hard-working and lovably hilarious drag queen.
Spoilers Below
I love Trixie Mattel because I have been spending the past few weeks methodically watching every episode of “UNHhhh,” and this documentary made me love her even more (shoutout to my friend for introducing me to Trixie and Katya because a vendor contact we work with is named Katya LOL). I was aware that Brian is a country singer/musician, but I was really impressed by how much his musical talent was showcased in this documentary. And more than that, it was so admirable to watch how this man works so hard in his professional pursuits and takes his close relationships very seriously. In the beginning of the documentary, it showed Trixie and Katya filming an episode of their TV show and I was thrilled because this is the BTS content I live for. But then my excitement quickly turned into shock when Katya slowly started to unravel on set and effectively have a mental breakdown that ended up lasting several weeks/months. It was heartbreaking to see Trixie’s and Katya’s friendship (temporarily) fall apart, and even more heartbreaking to see how hurt and sad Trixie was about the whole situation. I wanted to watch a documentary about how beautiful and gorgeous their friendship was, but instead, I got a realistic reminder that real life is never ever going to be just a repeat of the happy-go-lucky personalities we see on a TV/YouTube show.
What I loved about this documentary was going behind-the-scenes in the process of becoming Trixie Mattel. We would see Brian in hotel rooms and dressing rooms applying thick makeup and putting on corsets. We would also see him rummaging through his garage filled with costumes, wigs, and outfits as he pensively picks out his next look and mentally prepares himself for the next gig. Quiet moments like these spoke volumes to her character and strength. I also really loved how the documentary was able to capture a few moments of Trixie reacting to and watching in real time her all stars season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Ultimately, this documentary is an incredible treat for all fans of Drag Race, drag queens, or Trixie Mattel. You might even find yourself tearing up at how raw and touching the film is, because I was inexplicably feeling emotional in that scene near the end at Drag Con, where Trixie is performing an acoustic version of “Kitty Girl.” You always envision drag queens as larger than life personalities both on and off the stage, but getting a glimpse of the vulnerable and serious side of the profession was really moving. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Moving Parts, and definitely would recommend it.