Review of Ginger & Rosa (2012) by Justin V — 22 Apr 2013

Elle Fanning may be the future of acting. At such a young age (she just turned fifteen) she's already more talented than many actresses twice her age. And in a film ripe with gloom and sadness, it's interesting to note how brightly she shines in such dark territory.

Writer-director Sally Potter, best known for her '92 film, Orlando, presents a family on the brink of destruction set against the backdrop of a world embracing for a similar fate.

Ginger (Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert) have been friends since birth. Both born side-by-side, at the cusp of Hiroshima, Ginger and Rosa share almost everything together. They discuss religion, cut class, hitch rides from strangers, smoke and make out with boys. One aspect in particular they share is a distaste for their mothers. The pair are rebelling at a time when rebellion is part of the social consciousness.

Ginger, despite being at odds with her mother, Natalie (Christina Hendricks), looks up to and admires her father, Roland (Alessandro Nivola). Roland is an intellectual, a writer whose conscientious objection to WWII has influenced his daughter, as Ginger has decided to protest the nuclear buildup. Ginger confides her yearning to protest to Rosa, and it's here we see diverging viewpoints. Rosa is becoming a woman and her need to be recognized is more of a carnal desire. Her fear or nuclear war allows Rosa to want to be part of a whole, not part of a rally. It's these conflicting needs that can potentially tear through Ginger and Rosa's lifelong friendship.

Sally Potter, an art house favorite, uniquely tells stories from a female perspective, and in doing so is unflinching and layered. She is also known to be very meticulous when casting, and she made some excellent choices for each role, specifically Ginger. She places Elle Fanning front and center and in turn she rewards the director by easily emoting high drama with subtle gestures, steely glares and a sadness that can almost be flipped on and off like a lamp. Fanning plays Ginger with conviction and confusion, motivated by a teenager's natural need to define herself as an individual. Ginger's conviction stems from her growing fear of nuclear war. In short, she doesn't want to die, while her confusion grows as she confronts betrayal at the hands of Roland and Rosa, specifically at a time when Ginger is looking for attention.

Potter makes obvious comparisons regarding the nuclear family and nuclear war, both of which share the potential to explode at any moment. At times this conflicts with the general quiet tone the film carries, but makes sense during the conclusion when the escalating tension reaches a breaking point.

In all, Ginger and Rosa is a strong feature, possibly one of the best so far on 2013. What drives it is Fanning, an incredibly talented actress whose youth belies her potential. JV.