Breakfast on Pluto 2005

The cinematic masterpiece unfolds across 36 meticulously crafted chapters, transporting audiences to the vibrant Irish town of Tyrellin on the cusp of the late 1970s. As cartoon robins provide a whimsical narrative thread, the film’s tender core is revealed through the poignant tale of Patrick Braden (Patrick’s mother, Eily Bergin), who leaves her newborn son on the doorstep of the local parochial house, where his father, Father Liam, resides.

Young Patrick is subsequently placed with an uncaring foster family, who fail to provide the love and nurturing he so desperately craves. As he navigates this tumultuous environment, Patrick’s innate curiosity and creativity begin to flourish, culminating in a bold display of self-expression – donning a dress and lipstick – which sparks both fascination and hostility from his foster family.

Meanwhile, Patrick finds solace among his close friends Charlie, Irwin, and Lawrence, as well as the wise guidance offered by Lawrence’s father, who shares with Patrick that Eily bears an uncanny resemblance to the blonde American movie star Mitzi Gaynor. As Patrick enters adolescence, his artistic inclinations take a darker turn, manifesting in explicit fiction and introspective queries about his conception, which eventually lead him to explore the possibility of gender transition.

Patrick’s journey as Kitten/Patricia is marked by tumultuous relationships, including her initial encounter with Father Liam during confession, where she seeks answers about Eily’s disappearance. However, her quest for truth is met with rebuff and dismissal. Feeling lost and disconnected, Kitten flees to the world of glam rock, where she finds a sense of belonging among Billy Hatchet and the Mohawks. Her whirlwind romance with Billy culminates in her being installed in his trailer, where she discovers the band’s clandestine role in hiding weapons for the IRA.

As Irwin becomes increasingly entrenched in the IRA’s cause, Kitten’s growing unease is palpable. When tragedy strikes, claiming the life of Lawrence, Kitten’s outrage and disillusionment with the group’s actions prompt her to destroy their arsenal, tossing the guns into a lake. Billy’s subsequent abandonment leaves Kitten alone and adrift, forced to confront the harsh realities of the “serious, serious, serious” world she has entered.

Kitten’s odyssey next takes her to London, where she embarks on a quest to find Eily, only to encounter numerous dead ends and setbacks. Penniless and adrift, Kitten finds temporary solace in a tiny cottage within a children’s entertainment park dedicated to the Wombles. As she begins working as a singing, dancing Womble, her brief stint is cut short by her sponsor’s violent outburst against their boss.

With no other options left, Kitten turns to prostitution, only to be brutally attacked by her first client. In a desperate bid for survival, Kitten saves herself from strangulation by cleverly spraying Chanel No. 5 into the attacker’s eyes, marking a turning point in her tumultuous journey towards self-discovery and empowerment.

At a quaint diner, enigmatic magician Bertie Vaughan (no actor name provided) engages the protagonist in conversation, curiosity piqued by her scribbled notes. As they chat, she reveals that her story revolves around “The Phantom Lady,” a mysterious figure consumed by the urban jungle, only to confess it’s actually the narrative of her own mother she’s been searching for. Entranced by her tale, Bertie hires her as his magician’s assistant, transforming her life into a hypnotic act.

During a romantic escapade, Bertie attempts to steal a kiss, and she candidly shares with him her truth: she is a transgender individual. However, this revelation doesn’t deter Bertie from pursuing their connection. Meanwhile, Charlie (no actor name provided) discovers Bertie’s hypnosis show and abducts Kitten, the protagonist, away from his grasp.

Kitten finds herself at a seedy club frequented by British soldiers, where she dances with one of them before the establishment is ravaged by an IRA bombing. The ensuing chaos leaves her injured and in distress. As police investigate the scene, they uncover Kitten’s transgender status and Irish heritage, leading to her arrest as a suspected terrorist.

Beaten, exhausted, and deprived of sleep, Kitten pours out her anguish onto the page, crafting a hyperbolic statement that takes on a life of its own in a fantastical spy film spoof sequence. As the police realize their mistake, they release her from custody, but Kitten’s plight worsens as she finds herself with no place to call home.

Once again, Kitten is forced into prostitution, only to be rescued by one of the very officers who interrogated her earlier. This savior brings her to a peep show, where she reinvents herself as a blonde vixen. Her repentant father, now aware of her struggles, appears on the scene, seeking to make amends and guide Kitten towards reuniting with Eily (no actor name provided), her long-lost sibling.

As Kitten poses as a telephone company market researcher at Eily’s residence, she discovers a young half-brother named Patrick. Her reunion with Eily is nothing short of overwhelming, yet Kitten chooses to keep her true identity hidden. When Irwin (no actor name provided) falls victim to the IRA’s brutal tactics, Kitten returns home to nurse Charlie through her pregnancy and reconcile with her priest father.

However, their peaceful existence is shattered when the town reacts violently against the unwed mother and her transgender friend living with him by firebombing the parish house. Forced to flee, they find themselves in London, seeking solace from the chaos that has consumed their lives.

In the final scene, Kitten and Charlie encounter Eily and little Patrick at a doctor’s office, where Charlie is receiving post-natal care. Though Kitten’s heart longs to reveal her true identity, she remains tight-lipped, allowing the narrative to unfold without revealing the mysterious Phantom Lady’s true face.