20th Century Women (2016)

disgusting, overrated, pointless

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

In Santa Barbara, California during the late 1970s, Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening) is an unconventional single mother in her fifties raising a pre-teenage son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) in a household that seems to contain a makeshift family which includes two single tenants (Great Gerwig and Billy Crudup) and a girl next door (Elle Fanning) who is two years older than Jamie.It's rather easy for the viewer to feel comfort around the folks in this commune-like home especially with Bening playing the head of the house. She exudes charm, warmth, and humour - especially in a scene when she is trying to understand the appeal of modern (at the time) punk rock music. The characters also bring us down memory lane when feminism was in its early stages. We see both the fascinating side of this movement and some of the absurd side.The decision to show what happened to each character's future at the end might not have been necessary with the exception of Dorothea's. The fate of the other characters seemed ordinary and conventional considering the unique experiences they shared in the 70s. However, this might be the point. Perhaps, this was a way of expressing grief for a period (the 1970s in this case though it could also be appended with the 1960s) when self-exploration and self-expression were much more attainable than in the decades that followed with mega-greed and less economic freedom for the average person."20th Century Women" could have been cut by twenty minutes or so but it was a nostalgia journey well worth traveling.

I was looking forward to watching this movie because I liked Beginners, by the same director and I was not disappointed: this story has a similar understated quirkiness, but it is a bit less melancholic.The whole cast is convincing as a group of lost souls living in Southern California in 1979. Annette Bening is Dorothea, the 55yo single mum of 15yo Jamie. Due to their age gap, she finds it difficult to connect with Jamie. Dorothea asks Julie, a teenage friend of Jamie and Abbie, a lodger in her house, to help her raising Jamie.Their unconventional living arrangement is completed by William, another lodger in Dorothea's house. In his 40s, William could be a much needed father figure for Jamie, but the two do not get along.Increasing tension in the house pushes Jamie to run away with Julie. This in turn leads to a temporary re-connection with Dorothea, but we gather that their relationship was never easy or close and it is only in memory that Jamie finds solace and understanding for his long deceased mother.1979 was a transitional period: the end of whatever was left of the hippie era and the beginning of the yuppies. Punk rock was about to die, but it still seemed in good shape. Unfortunately, that was also period during which were developed some distortions in our society, perceived as "liberation". The growth of technology, fast travel, fast fashion etc...which resulted only in increased stress, frustration and chaos.I felt almost nostalgic watching a not too faraway time when people could live life without cell phones and the internet... However, without the internet I would not be here writing reviews... Great story though, and great soundtrack: a lot of Talking Heads' music is featured in the film, which I liked since I am a fan.

An ode to women and the chaos they inspire in the world of a fatherless teenage boy."20th Century Women" has a laid back vibe and lots of period detail that will probably appeal to the audience members who were themselves coming of age in the period -- late 70s and early 80s -- in which the movie is set. It follows three principal female characters and charts the influence they have on our teenage protagonist. Annette Bening is the freewheeling mom, doing the best she can without someone to provide a positive male influence for her son. Greta Gerwig is the boarder who teaches him about girls and music. And Elle Fanning is his female friend who refuses to be his girlfriend. The conclusion he and the movie comes to seems to be that women are necessary but confusing. I found myself irritated by all of them. They spend all of their time trying to teach him what and how to think without ever letting him develop an identity of his own.The film is entertaining enough, but there is something lacking, and I'm not surprised that it wasn't one of the stand out movies of the year. I love Bening and would watch her in anything, and she does as much as she probably can with her character, but one can't help but wonder how much better a performance she could have given with better writing and directing at her back.Grade: B

Writer and director Mike Mills film follows the lives of five people living in a house in southern California in 1979 and three generation of women.Dorothea (Annette Bening) a divorced woman in her mid 50s is raising her teenage son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) and concerned to raise him properly especially as he has no male role models. Jamie is making his own way through life as a growing teenager, he has a close relationship with neighbour Julie (Elle Fanning) who sneaks into his bedroom often but she might be pregnant from a casual encounter with another teenager.Also living in the house is orange haired punk Abbie (Greta Gerwig), a young photographer and cancer survivor and hippy William (Billy Crudup) a kind of handyman and who makes things with his hands. He begins a relationship with Abbie but he is a popular guy with the ladies.The film follows how these oddball group of characters have an impact on the lives of Dorothea and Jamie as times are changing. Even President Carter is uncertain about the times. America is moving on to a new decade and indeed soon to a new president. With these changing times the characters are concerned what music and dance are considered cool or not.This is a well acted ensemble piece with the just right amount of kookiness. Look out for the awkward discussion about periods during a dinner party scene.The narrative moves ahead of time as the adult Jamie reflects back as to what happened to some of the characters, all that smoking Dorothea does will have an impact on her health some years for now.The film is rather uneven and I felt oddly paced, the running time is too long and there is little plot in it.