In 1982, Tootsie graced the world with a similarly preposterous premise. Dustin Hoffman is an actor in NYC who can't find work, so he dresses up as a woman and nails his audition, finding himself cast on a very popular soap opera and becoming quite famous (as a "woman").
Once he starts to "pass" as a woman, thus living as a woman in public and to all of his coworkers, he begins to "understand" how women are treated, in general. Thus, Dorothy (her name is NOT Tootsie) becomes a feminist hero, speaking out, calling out sexism and misogyny, with the conviction of a straight white man who has suddenly realized the way the world treats women. The part that it gets wrong is that there are no repercussions for being such a strong "woman," there are no consequences for "her" calling out men for their abhorrent behavior. And, yes, there's a scene where a man wants to have his way with Dorothy, and it's played for laughs even though it's really a "close call" rape situation.
While there are several laughs revolving around the attraction of men (and women) towards Dorothy somehow this does not come off as dated and off-putting even though it could (and probably should) be coming across as rather homophobic, because are really no jokes about Hoffman's sexual and gender identities. The schtick remains strictly about being trapped by your alter ego, and is NOT a comedy about a hapless man forced to act and dress like a straight woman.
At ALL times, Hoffman treats (and plays) Dorothy as a real fully fleshed out person, and yes, she is strong and smart and she takes no shit--much to the amazement and adoration of the women in his life who think Dorothy is "real."
This movie could have gone in the wrong direction, big time. The joke could be about misread sexuality and gender, but really, somehow it's not.
I don't really know how this film works, but somehow it's very funny. Somehow...
Also, STELLAR cast: Hoffman and Bill Murray, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Baby Geena Davis, and Charles Durning
4/5
(Also, my mom had those glasses and that hair, so I've always had this weird relationship with this film, because he reminds me of my mom...which is really weird)...