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| Mistress America (2015) |
A lonely college freshman's life is turned upside down by her impetuous, adventurous soon-to-be stepsister.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig (screenplay)
Stars: Seth Barrish, Juliet Brett, Andrea Chen
Cast
Cast overview, first billed only:
Greta Gerwig Greta Gerwig ...
Brooke
Lola Kirke Lola Kirke ...
Tracy
Matthew Shear Matthew Shear ...
Tony
Jasmine Cephas Jones Jasmine Cephas Jones ...
Nicolette
Heather Lind Heather Lind ...
Mamie-Claire
Michael Chernus Michael Chernus ...
Dylan
Storyline
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.
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
In scene where actresses Gerwig and Kirke are looking through a closet, director Noah Baumbach did 55 takes. See more »
Mistress America: A surreal, strange, slice of life unlike any other
Taking place in New
York City about now, "Mistress America" focuses on the life of Tracy who
is a freshman in college. She aspires to be a writer—easy to tell
because she's aloof, detached, alone, and looking for friends. Her mom's
getting remarried so Tracy has an older sister-to-be in Brooke, one of
those cinematic forces of nature like a young Katherine Hepburn,
perhaps. Brooke takes Tracy into her life of late-night concert
performances, high-output spinning, fashion, finance, clandestine
apartments, absent lovers, and a nascent restaurant business. In many
ways, this is a buddy movie as Tracy learns fierce independence from
Brooke, who she greatly admires.
Like all buddy movies, Tracy's and Brooke's relationship has ups and downs, complicated by the literary understory. Then the whirlwind pace goes surreal as the New Yorkers head to Greenwich, Connecticut in search of—something. We think it's one thing but it's not. I guess Greenwich, seat of the uber wealthy in the US financial arena, is actually a surreal place.
This is an intensely witty movie with a very chewy script handled ably by the very smart cast. Many call "Mistress America" a comedy but funny is clearly not this movie's main goal. To call it a "screwball comedy" is to not properly describe its intellect. The movie is saying something about envying the lives of others, which most of us do to one extent or another. It's a thoughtful movie, and it will be uncomfortable for some to watch if you, like Tracy, are not centered within your own mind and body. And after all, who is?
Like all buddy movies, Tracy's and Brooke's relationship has ups and downs, complicated by the literary understory. Then the whirlwind pace goes surreal as the New Yorkers head to Greenwich, Connecticut in search of—something. We think it's one thing but it's not. I guess Greenwich, seat of the uber wealthy in the US financial arena, is actually a surreal place.
This is an intensely witty movie with a very chewy script handled ably by the very smart cast. Many call "Mistress America" a comedy but funny is clearly not this movie's main goal. To call it a "screwball comedy" is to not properly describe its intellect. The movie is saying something about envying the lives of others, which most of us do to one extent or another. It's a thoughtful movie, and it will be uncomfortable for some to watch if you, like Tracy, are not centered within your own mind and body. And after all, who is?
