Mistress America (Movie Review)

Rating:

The 1-4-0: #MistressAmerica is different take on what you could consider a romantic comedy. We are so used to having a ‘chick flick’ in which a guy is romantically involved at some point in the central plot. But this film is different.

The Gist:  Tracy (Lola Kirke), is a mousy college freshman living on her own in New York City. Her firsts experience in Manhattan is not the adventure she was expecting. Her classes are dull, the literary society she wanted to join rejects her and the boy she likes is dating a ridiculously jealous girl. So she decides to call Brooke (Greta Gerwig), her stepsister-to-be, and is soon entranced by her worldliness and flummoxed by her impulsive nature.

What Works: This film does just a great job in telling a story that is so different from the typical romantic comedy, because it takes you through the lives of two women who seem to find within each other what they cant find with anyone else, being accepted. They come from different backgrounds and are totally different people in every sense of the word. But the one thing that brings them together seems to be all that matters. They see through each other’s errors and find happiness within one another’s company. Not to mention the comedic relief, because Greta Gerwig takes the cake on that. Her character is such a magnificent representation of the ‘do-everything & know-everything’ type of New York girl that it makes the film even more striking to the viewer. And her tough ‘go-getter’ attitude is complemented by the lead Lola Kirke, who plays the more calm and thoughtful Tracy. Together they make a comedic match from heaven.

What Doesn’t Work:  The storyline of Tracy’s mom and Brooke’s father. It’s clear that it is on so important to the overall plot of the story but it has a certain level of relevance that was not brought up as much. I think that a little more background on their parents could have given the plot of the film more emphasis. The views could have had a better understanding of where the two main characters are coming from.

Pay or Nay: Pay. Especially if you are a New Yorker (male or female) or you live in a big city, you will have a lot to relate from this film. From the struggle of making it big, to the moments of loneliness and the times when its accepted to just be a little crazy in order to stay sane. The film will make you feel lonely, it will make you feel befriended, it will make you laugh and a bit sad all at the same time. It will be an hour and twenty minutes that will just fly by, definitely worth your time.