The moniker “Darling of American Independent film” may seem a bit facile, but it’s a title actress Greta Gerwig wears proudly. To be sure, she has more than enough credits to back this up as she’s appeared in Mumblecore Cinema (Hannah Takes the Stairs, Baghead) and low-budget horror movies (The House of the Devil) as well as quirky comedies shot on the fly (Damsels in Distress). However, it wasn’t until Daryl Wein’s Lola Versus (2012) and Noah Baumbach’s Greenberg (2010) and Francis Ha (2012) that Gerwig was able to fashion her distinctive screen persona. Playing smart, capable women who are knocked sideways by one unexpected setback after another, these characters proved to be strong, determined and optimistic in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Having dipped her toe in the Hollywood pool with the ill-conceived remake of Arthur (2011) with Russell Brand and a forgettable supporting role in the rom-com No Strings Attached (2011), the actress has appeared in only independent movies since then. Her latest, Mistress America, is a milestone in her filmmaking evolution as she co-wrote the script with Baumbach, who, in addition to being Gerwig’s off-screen partner, directed the feature as well.
Co-starring up-and-coming actress Lola Kirke, best known for her turn as the wayward traveler who robs Rosamund Pike of her small fortune in Gone Girl, America focuses on the sudden friendship that forms between Brooke (Gerwig), a seemingly confident, New York City free-spirit and Tracy (Kirke), who’s just arrived in the Big Apple to attend college. Their parents are engaged and it’s through them that they meet, forming an instant bond that’s tested as quickly as it was made. Tracy soon realizes that Brooke is not all that she seems and uses her as the main character in a short story she’s writing, a decision that comes back to haunt her.
In Chicago recently to promote the film, Gerwig and Kirke sat down with me to discuss the movie but only after waxing poetically about the deep-dish pizza they had dined on the night before. Often finishing each other’s sentences over the course of our talk, it was obvious that the friendship displayed in America was a reflection of the admiration the two actresses have for one another.
I began by asking about the title of the film and its meaning. Kirke offered, “I think it’s a play on “Miss America,” which has the connotation of being more mainstream whereas “Mistress America” sounds like some one on the side, outside the law somehow.”
“I also think that these are not women who would win the Miss America contest,” added Gerwig. “They’re too much for that. They’re not tailored to be palatable necessarily. They’re kind of complex and crazy and great,” a statement in keeping with Brooke and Tracy, who revel in their independence.
And yet, while these two women find strength in working towards their goals — Brooke longs to open a laid-back, home-style restaurant while Tracy hopes to gain entry to an elite literary club — they find that sometimes they step on each other’s toes, especially when Brooke discovers she’s the subject of a short story Tracy is writing.
“One of the themes of the movie is what it feels like to write about someone and what it’s like to be written about,” says Gerwig. “In writing this screenplay, I was writing about things and people from my life and it felt like stealing to me. You see something that happens, you write about it and then when the people in the situation realize you’ve used that experience, it’s too late for them to do anything about it.”
Ironically, though the story is critical of Brooke, Tracy finds herself adopting some of her behavior; something Kirke thinks is a form of experimentation. “I think Tracy tries on some of Brooke’s behavior’s but doesn’t necessarily keep all of them,” the actress mused. “Like the scene where she forces Tony to kiss her, she’s trying on Brooke’s logic and it doesn’t work for her. But then when she’s confronted about the story, I think she’s able to defend herself because she’s been emboldened to do so by observing how Brooke handles situations.”
In the end, what Brooke and Tracy come to realize is that their true strength lies in the way they endeavor to reach their goals, even if they might not come true in the end. “There’s this constant striving that’s distinctly American and Brooke and Tracy have that. In the end, I suppose that’s what the title of the movie really means — their insistence on trying to make their dreams come true despite the odds.” Though America may be outside the mainstream of American cinema, its theme will resonate with anyone who has the good fortune to see it.
Contact Chuck Koplinski at ckoplinski@usd116.org.
This article appears in Sep 3-9, 2015.
