20th Century Women

Through the decades, Hollywood has produced a plethora of 'rites of passage' films, and I believe we are a better people for it. They have been created in different formats: comedy or drama, or even dramedy (comedy and drama). Some have been lackluster and some have been excellent, but however they unfold to its audience can cause them to reflect or possibly learn something from it. We now have "20th Century Women" to add to that ever growing list.

 

During the summer of 1979, at the sunset of the Carter presidency, a Santa Barbara single mom and boardinghouse landlord, Dorothea (Annette Bening) decides that the best way she can parent her teenage son, Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) is to enlist her young tenants-- a quirky punk photographer, Abbie (Greta Gerwig), a mellow handyman, William (Billy Crudup), and her son's shrewd but troubled best friend, Julie (Elle Fanning)-- to serve as his role models in a rapidly changing world. Will Dorothea succeed, or will the challenge send her over the edge of her ever problematic world?

 

Others to round out the cast are Vitaly A. LeBeau as young Jamie, Alison Elliott as Julie's mother, Thea Gill as Abbie's mother, Waleed Zuaiter as Charlie, Curran Walters as Matt and Darrell Britt-Gibson as Julian.

 

Although this was directed by a newer director, Mike Mills ("Thumbsucker" '05, "Does Your Soul Have a Cold?" (Documentary) '07, "Beginners" '10), he still excels in getting his actors to exude that certain emotion given what ever scene is being conveyed to its audience. His style is very similar to that of Noah Baumbach. Not only his is projects conveyed in a very powder dry way as with Baumbach, but also the quirkiness in the production as well. I don't think Mills is copying the style as it is presenting this as a homage to Baumbach's style. It was also dryly written by Mills as well. As with his directing, his writing style is also akin to that of Baumbach--again a homage to Baumbach. And as I have reviewed Baumbach's films in the past my feeling with this film is similar to Baumbach's, in that the way the subject matter is handled is something I have a tough time wrapping my head around. Between the characters chosen and how they're conveyed is difficult for me to grasp. As with Baumbach's films, the reason I like this film is for the performances, especially by Bening. The characters--love 'em or leave 'em-- are rich and well developed. This filmmaker will go far as these types of films are in great demand, considering how many commercial films are out there.

As with Baumbach films, this isn't for the mass audience appeal, considering how the storyline is handled and the way the characters are written in this. If you go see this, it will be for the fine acting and character development involved.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                              Rated: R                            118mins.