Gareth, Eilidh, Ed, Moira+I went to the Watershed this MORNING (yes, I know AND the second cinema trip in three days!) to see Noah Baumbach’s “Mistress America”, featuring Greta Gerwig (as Brooke, prospective step-sister to Tracy and a 30 year-old “Manhattanite” with a history of enthusiasm, failed business ideas and desperate keenness to impress) and Lola Kirke (as 18 year-old Tracy, a college freshman in New York who dislikes her peers and who wants to be a writer).
I have to say that I was really looking forward to it – I’d seen Baumbach’s film “Frances Ha” a couple of years ago (also starring Greta Gerwig) – but, despite some excellent reviews the film has received, I’m afraid I was somewhat disappointed.
Gerwig is undoubtedly a brilliant, charismatic actor, but I found her machinegun-like delivery hard to decipher (and take) on occasions. Surprisingly, I found Kirke a far more convincing character.
Despite the fact that the film was very funny at times and that there were lots of impressive one-liners (none of which I can remember, of course!), I actually found it just TOO frenetic (“Friends” on drugs?). The first 30 minutes or so seemed to establish the synopsis and characters well, but then, to my mind, things seemed to get bogged down and lose the plot. It pulled itself together a little by the end… but, sadly, too late to win me over.
Maybe this kind of “in-your-face” American lifestyle and/or humour just isn’t for me… or maybe I just disliked the desperate focus on “career awareness” and need for “success”?
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