In Mistress America, freshman literature major Tracy (Lola Kirke) finds that college life in New York City isn’t the vitalizing experience she imagined. She’s lonely, disillusioned, and struggling academically. A nascent romance with fellow aspiring writer Tony (Matthew Shear) peters out. Things begin to change, however, when she meets her soon-to-be-stepsister Brooke (Greta Gerwig), who leads a quintessentially New York life. The 30-year-old Brooke dwells in a flat just off Times Square, and seems to have a hundred jobs. She leads a spinning class, tutors middle schoolers, and is about to open a Brooklyn restaurant with her wealthy Greek boyfriend. She seems destined for success: the sort of person who always knows the band and unironically refers to herself as a social media “brand.”
Brooke’s lifestyle and boundless energy entrance Tracy, who proceeds to write a thinly-disguised version of the woman into a short story for the college literary society. Tracy doesn’t see this act of appropriation as a transgression, but she does quickly discern the cracks in her new friend’s self-starter façade. Brooke can be thoughtless, prickly, and insecure, and following one imprudent Instagram, her elaborate future plans begin to unravel with alarming speed.
On the surface, Brooke is far more put-together than Frances, the sad sack protagonist of director Noah Baumbach’s 2012 collaboration with Gerwig, Frances Ha. Both films portray young New York women embroiled in tragi-comical crises, and both boast characteristically incisive writing from Baumbach and Gerwig. While Frances Ha evoked an atmosphere of melancholy realism, however, Mistress America is more cartoonish, even zany, while still preserving an understated element to the screenplay’s humor. Once the viewer adjusts to the film’s particular tone, it become apparent that the sharp-eyed Baumbach can imbue even broad character comedy with his distinct brand of cutting, tossed-off wit.
Mistress America opens Friday, August 28 at the Tivoli Theatre (6350 Delmar) and Plaza Frontenac Cinema (1701 S. Lindbergh).
