MISTRESS AMERICA
US, 2015, 84 minutes, Colour.
Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke, Heather Lind, Michael Chernus, Kathryn Erbe.
Directed by Noah Baumbach.
Greta Gerwig gets very good reviews for her screen performances, especially in the films of Noah Baumbach, specifically Greenberg and the tour de force performance in Frances Ha.
There is quite some similarity between Frances Ha and Brooke, one of the central characters of Mistress America and the title subject of a short story written by the other central character, Tracy, played effectively by Lola Kirke.
Now, this is a New York story, which is not merely meant to be a descriptive phrase but something of a warning or a caution. The characters are those that we find sometimes in particularly New York stories, characters who have their eccentricities, live in an artificial world in a city that is really not like any other in the United States. They speak in a different way. Their concerns are different. They behave in ways that are unexpected and sometimes oddball. This is definitely the case in Mistress America.
The initial focus is on Tracy, at college, with great ambitions to be a writer and being chosen for the college club for authors, submitting her work, especially, after she meets Brooke, her story based on her imagination of an encounter with Brooke, which she calls Mistress America.
Tracy is a touch introverted, takes up with a young student with similar literary interests but who can’t quite relate to her as she wishes and takes up with another student. In the meantime, Tracy’s mother, with whom she has many phone conversations, is about to marry Brooke’s father and the suggestion is that Tracy look up Brook and get to know her future half-sister.
This happens, but Brooke is something of an enigma, 30 years old, starstruck about living in Times Square after her origins in New Jersey, living in a loft, her boyfriend marrying one of her friends who has also stolen her ideas for designs (as well as her cats), and Brooke is thinking of investing in a restaurant if she can find the money. This indicates that she is more than a little scatty. There is a key sequence in a restaurant where a woman approaches her, claims that they knew each other at school, then empties out her resentment at how Brooke bullied and insulted her at school – which Brooke blithely dismisses as her problem not Brooke’s.
After consulting a seer, Brooke decides to visit the old rival and her husband in Greenwich Connecticut, taking Tracy with her, as well as the young man from college and his girlfriend. There is quite some comedy in the encounter in Greenwich, Brooke confronting Maimie-Claire? about her ideas, taking her boyfriend – and the cats. Also in the act is a woman from a group that had been meeting at Maimie Claire’s who is waiting for her husband, the neighbour who is not very happy about Maimie Claire and her husband. Through roundabout means, everyone has the opportunity to read Tracy’s story – and all of them are against it, on Brooke’s side, who declares she has been betrayed and is hurt.
And the parents’ marriage is off, Tracy’s mother refusing to become a Catholic!
In a film like this, the only remaining thing is to find out in what direction Tracy is going and whether she can reconcile with Brooke – and whether she is going to have a literary career. And to find out in which direction Brooke would go (and a sequel is not unthinkable!).
1. A New York story, characters, situations? The appeal to the New York audience, American audience – non-Americans? Age, relationships, jobs, experiences?
2. Audiences identifying with Tracy and with Brooke? Observing them?
3. The director, his stories, eccentric personalities, women, personal, small films?
4. Greta Gerwig, her career, collaboration with the director?
5. The title, Tracy’s short story, about Brooke? Its publication? People reading it? Brooke’s reaction?
6. The screenplay, the dialogue, the satire, mock situations, characters? The score?
7. The New York settings, Times Square, apartments, College? The visit to Greenwich, Connecticut?
8. Tracy’s story, her age, experience, wanting to be a writer, her relationship with her mother, her absent father, mother marrying again, their phone conversations? At College, quiet, the friendship with Tony, the discussions about the book club, the sharing, the date, seeing him with Nicolette? His inability to relate more intimately with her? Her mother’s suggestion about contacting Brooke?
9. Brooke, her age, relationship with her father, his intending to marry Tracy’s mother? Actually breaking it off because of her religious views, not becoming a Catholic? Brooke, her life, eccentricities, speaking her mind directly, moving to Times Square, taking on Tracy, letting her stay, their shared conversations? The story of her relationship with Dylan, Maimie Clare marrying him, taking her ideas on production, taking her cats? Her resentments?
10. Out and about with Tracy, the woman remembering her days at school, confronting Brooke, Brooke’s blaming her, her reaction? Hurt? Her treatment of people? Going to the apartment, the locks changed, the friend downstairs, letting them through, going out the fire escape?
11. Going to the seer, his looking into the future, the discussions with Brooke, the interpretation concerning Maimie Clare, advising her to go to see her?
12. Taking Tracy with her, meeting the neighbour, his guiding them to the house, his complaints, later turning up again and being part of the group around Brooke?
13. Maimie Clare, personality, manner, her reaction to Brooke, marrying Dylan, the discussions with Brooke, seeing the cats, the accusation about stealing ideas?
14. Dylan coming home, his relationship with Brooke, commenting about her being funny and her attempts to be funny? Dylan and his relationship with Maimie Clare?
15. Brooke, the plan for the restaurant, the investment, needing the money, Dylan willing to give it to her?
16. Tony and Nicolette, accompanying Brooke and Tracy in the car, beeing interested in the women’s group, joining them, becoming friendly? Tracy and her approach to Tony, Nicolette seeing them and Tracy’s kiss, her reaction, going upstairs, Tony trying to remedy the situation?
17. The lady from the group, lawyer, waiting for her husband, becoming involved?
18. Nicolette reading the story, coming downstairs, showing it to the others, everybody reading it, Brooke’s negative reaction, the others on her side, the possibility of a lawsuit? Tracy and her defence of it being only a story? Brooke and her attack on Tracy? Saying she was hurt? The fact that there would be no marriage?
19. Tracy, her story being published, joining the group, but thinking them snobs, throwing the briefcase into the water? Her coming to see Brooke, the lodger downstairs, his letting her through, going up the fire escape and coming to the window, the discussions, Brooke intending to go to California, Tracy going to see the seer, his advice for the future? Tracy still wanting to have Brooke has a half sister? Brooke and her resentment? Relenting? Her future?
