Review of Mistress America (2015) by Chip C — 01 Sep 2015

This is a very interesting case of a movie. Right off the top, I was loving this movie and connecting to lead character's college woes of loneliness and trying to fit in. I would have really loved that movie but then it took an immediate turn that felt like it just steered into a whole different movie than they were setting up.

When Greta Gerwig arrives, the movie just feels like everyone has taken a lot of coke and won't stop to take a breath between sentences (and for the movie, scenes won't take a break to breathe, it is just rolls into a new scene after the last word from the last scene.

It felt kind of clunky). The 84 min run time is because no one took any breaths. But that added to the movie is certain scenes. It's my overall take on the movie, there was a lot that worked and that were strong but it was overplayed for some scenes that just didn't need it.

The climax of this movie reminded me a lot of the play Noises Off where every character has their own agenda and says something off topic or of no meaning to what anyone else is talking about and everyone just popping out of different corners of the house with new conversations.

The movie is chaotic and over the top but I liked that about it, it just didn't need to be that from start to finish. I really loved the quieter moments of the movie involving the lead character played by Lola Kirke and the boy she met played by Matthew Shear.

Both give great breakout performances and I can't wait to see what they do next as actors. Heather Lind, Cindy Cheung, and Jasmine Cephas Jones finish off this strong ensemble that worked like a well oiled machine especially in that climax.

The movie reminded me a lot of the TV show Girls. I really like the ideas of these characters and what they believe in and how they want their life to be but they just are pretty annoying and self centered in the long run to the point you just want to walk away because it isn't worth it.

I don't think the movie's point was to make these characters likable especially Greta Gerwig's Brooke but sometime it just wanted to make you walk out of the theater to breathe. Noah Baumbach makes pretty interesting movies like While We're Young earlier this year and The Squid and the Whale from a decade ago.

He has a really witty sense of humor and creates interesting characters. I loved the scenes in this movie about New York life and the soundtrack and score really added to the spunky attitude of the movie.

So all and all, this movie has some issues but they more come from character motivations and the non stop pacing of the movie but I laughed a whole lot and loved a lot of moments of the movie. It's definitely worth checking out but I know it will be polarizing to some.