Publications
Partners
What it's about:
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. Mistress America is a comedy about dream-chasing, score-settling, makeshift families, and cat-stealing.
What we thought:
Every once in a while I like to go into a cinema completely blind as to what I’m watching, what it’s about and who it stars… This was one of those films.
It’s funny how when you think of New York, you immediately think ‘wow!’ and for most New Yorkers, that’s how they live – a stylish job, a great apartment in the city and the trendiest friends - but not for Tracy (Lola Kirke).
When a lonely college student comes to the realisation that NYC isn’t all it’s promised to be or rather how easily invisible you can be in a room full of people she meets her soon-to-be stepsister, Brooke (Greta Gerwig), and everything changes.
It’s true when they say a positive attitude is completely infectious!
And what better to do with a new found bond, new adventures and the realisation that you could be completely satisfied while still falling apart than to turn it into an acceptable short story.
In a nut shell that’s what you’re watching…
The beauty of it however, is that while it may seem like a load of nonsense, it isn’t at all and after watching it you’ll realise that a piece of Tracy – the lonely college student – and her adventurous, lost, dream-chasing soon-to-be stepsister Brooke is inside yourself.
Greta Gerwig manages to pull off something that isn’t always easy, making an unlikable character likable. Her ability to turn that irritating ‘live life to the fullest’ cliché into an achievable goal is what makes her character so intriguing.
Greta’s character takes the spotlight and while the rest of the cast sort of disappears into the movie you’ll find that you’re totally okay with it. All the people Brooke interacts with play an important role in how her character unfolds but at the same time are completely unnecessary but in a way that’s acceptable.
It’s easy to create an atmosphere where you follow your heart and do whatever you want and succeed – let’s be honest that’s the theme most movies follow – but director Noah Baumach and Greta have taken that ‘perfect idea’ mixed it with reality and written it in a way that makes it completely reachable.
People need a breath of fresh air. Something that makes complete chaos look like that ‘perfect idea’ that we’re all hopelessly after and Mistress America is exactly that.
With a comical take on how we are all actually mistresses to our own lives this film is the perfect reality check.
It’s okay to fall apart, it’s okay to fight and walk away but it’s also okay to forgive and try again and if you don’t know that then Mistress America is the only life lesson you’ll need.
