MOVIE MONDAYS: MISTRESS AMERICA
Last Wednesday I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with a couple of kind and funny ladies, who are also filmmakers, that I met a few weeks ago at the cinema. We chatted over drinks at a lovely pub that makes it incredibly easy to have a conversation where everyone is able to hear you just fine and you are not left hoarse from competing with the song punching its way out of the pub's speakers. Then we made our way to the cinema, naturally, to meet up with some of their friends and catch a screening of Mistress America.
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Man, oh man, oh man. This is a film that I definitely want to watch again and without a doubt falls into the 'has a fresh, original script that is completely engaging' film category. The incredibly captivating characters created by Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha; Northern Comfort; Nights and Weekends) and Noah Baumbach (While We Were Young; Frances Ha; Fantastic Mr. Fox) were comical and easy to relate to. Mistress America is, to me, a rather unique coming of age story soaked in slapstick humour that gives you some comfort as it let's you in on the not-so-well-kept secret that we are all trying to make it in the world.
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Photo by David Feeney-Mosier// Source: © 2015 - Fox Searchlight Pictures
Mistress America is a tale about a socially awkward girl called Tracy who is a fan of the written word but sadly has a university life not worth writing home about. Life hands her a social golden ticket in the form of Brooke, a free-spirited New Yorker, and we get to see just how dramatic her life then becomes. This film was directed beautifully by Noah Baumbach (While We Were Young; Frances Ha; Fantastic Mr. Fox) and based on the funny and captivating script written by both Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig. There are so many memorable lines from Mistress America that I am itching to document here but I shan't; I'll allow them to be delivered so expertly to you when you watch the film.
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Photo by David Feeney-Mosier // Source: © 2015 - Fox Searchlight Pictures
The handful of characters that we are introduced to in Mistress America made the film as a whole feel more intimate. And rest assured, they are all equally interesting and quirky. Lola Kirke (Mozart in the Jungle; Gone Girl; Reaching for the Moon) breathes life into Tracy, a girl who is unapologetically herself - a character trait I wish I had - and is willing to do what it takes to be accepted by those whom she thinks are her peers. Brooke, a personable, and slightly eccentric woman, who is no stranger to the side of tracks and has an entertaining vocabulary, was played by Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha; No Strings Attached; Greenberg). One of the few people whom Tracy could call a friend is a guy who knows what he wants in life, Tony, and he was brought to life by Matthew Shear (While We Were Young; Beware the Gonzo; Taking Woodstock). And Heather Lind (TURN: Washington's Spies; The Weekend; Boardwalk Empire) stars as the uptight, driven and somewhat welcoming Marmie-Claire whilst Michael Chernus (Orange is the New Black; Love & Other Drugs; Men in Black 3) stars as Dylan, an opportunistic guy who is still in touch with his youth. The cast delivered stellar performances and had great chemistry which allowed the movie to effortlessly take you along for a crazy but interesting ride.
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Humour, drama and important life lessons are injected beautifully into the story that is Mistress America so if that sounds like your kind of thing, then maybe consider giving this film a go. I don't think you'll regret it. I mean I could be wrong but I don't think I am. There is a scene where Brooke talks about algebra that still tickles me; it is one of my favourites. I wonder if it makes it onto your list of favourite scenes from this film...
Mo x