Tracy, a lonely college freshman in New York, is rescued from her solitude by her soon-to-be stepsister Brooke, an adventurous gal about town who entangles her in alluringly mad schemes.
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Reviews
One of my all time favorites.
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
Blistering performances.
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
1. Writing/Acting? I think the writing really good and should keep you engaged. I don't know other Noak Baumbach's works but his fans seem disappointed with this one. Greta Gerwig character reminded me of Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless" and Lola Kirke is just adorable. Both leads were great as well as supporting cast. The writing combined with the acting made it enjoyable similar to movies rated 6.7 or 6.8 in IMDb. 2. Did it make me laugh? Just a little but I watched this alone. Greta Gerwig character gives you the most attempts to laugh.3. Unnecessary, unrealistic components? Scenes from old boyfriends house was a bit silly and unnatural but not over the top. The good writing keeps it in control. You find no special effects of gimmicks.4. Soundtrack? Subconsciously, I might be giving the movie higher ratings because the music put me in the right place. Subtle background songs that seem to have "The Cure" influenced in several scenes. There were other 80's tunes made it flow for me.
Mistress America is supposedly a quirky homage to screwball comedies from director Noah Baumbach. I think he should had taken advise from Peter Bogdanovich as to how to make modern screwball comedies.Tracy (Lola Kirke) is a misfit college freshman at a small university in New York where she is a little lonely and lost. She starts to hang out with her 30 year old step sister to be the malevolent Brooke (Greta Gerwig). Brooke's father is due to marry Tracy's mother.Tracy at first becomes captivated by Brooke's creativity, worldliness and carefree lifestyle. Brooke is angry that her previous creative ideas have been stolen and desires to open a restaurant but requires investors when her Greek boyfriend bales out. As explored in Baumbach's previous film 'When we're Young' the younger Tracy soon leeches from the older Brooke as she pilfers elements of Brooke's life for a short story.The film feels to much like a stage play, they literally do stand around as if they were on stage. They even deliver lines like the audience were in the same auditorium. The more people and talk over each other the film comes across as dull.If they did not mention things like Twitter and Google, I could swear the film was set in the 1980s as the soundtrack consists of 1980s mainly British synth music. Songs by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark turn up a few times.The film is in a minor key. It weaves from being smart and sassy to being just dull. At the end the younger Tracy realises that the older Brooke is destined for failure as she cannot follow up on her creativity. Tracy feels smug about it.
'MISTRESS America': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)Acclaimed indie filmmaker Noah Baumbach, reteams with actress Greta Gerwig (for the third time); to make this hilarious, but very sweet, quirky comedy flick! The film was directed by Baumbach, written by Baumbach and Gerwig, and it costars Gerwig and actress Lola Kirke (of 'MOZART IN THE JUNGLE' fame). The movie tells the story of a depressed college freshman, who finds new inspiration for life; when she meets her 'soon-to-be' stepsister. The film is classic Noah Baumbach; who's becoming one of my favorite filmmakers!Tracy Fishko (Kirke) just started her freshman year, at Barnard College; and she's having trouble fitting in. She develops a crush on another student, named Tony (Matthew Shear); but he begins dating another girl instead, named Nicolette (Jasmine Cephas Jones). Tracy's mother (Kathryn Erbe) is about to be married, and she advises Tracy to meet her fiancé's daughter, Brooke (Gerwig). Brooke is full-of-life, and she inspires Tracy, in ways she's never experienced before. So Tracy writes a fictional short story, influenced by Brooke, and she begins spending a lot more time, with her 'soon-to-be stepsister' (as well).The movie is brilliantly written, and beautifully directed! The characters are extremely likable, and quirky, and the dialogue is all very witty, and fun too (there's so many classic, quotable lines; all through the movie)! The film is also really inspiring, hilariously funny, and it has a great (nostalgic) 80s feel to it, as well. I absolutely love it, and Noah Baumbach!Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/CoUgbXLzKSQ
Lola Kirke stars as a college freshman in NYC who feels, as many an 18 year-old, superior to all other people her age, and thus very lonely. Her mother suggests that she get to know her soon-to-be step-sister (Greta Gerwig), who also lives in the city. About 30 (though always claiming to be in her 20s), Gerwig immediately comes across to the audience as a huge phony - but to an 18 year-old, she seems like a wise, worldly woman and Kirke latches onto her immediately. As a film about a couple of phonies, yeah, the targets sometimes seem too easy here. However, both Kirke and Gerwig are so likable that it's easy to see past their terribleness. Deep down, they are flawed people, and you want them to overcome those flaws. It also helps that Gerwig is absolutely hilarious. This isn't nearly the classic that her last collaboration with Baumbach was (like Frances Ha, she co-wrote the film), but it's good and a heck of a lot better than Baumbach's last film, While We're Young.