Narration always sucks in movies. Up until yesterday, I had yet to see a modern film that actually utilizes narration in an original and interesting format. That is, of course, until I finally got around to watching 20th Century Women. This film is an absolutely gorgeous and simple story that excels in personal filmmaking in the best ways possible, including its use of narration to guide its story. With all of the perfect marks of an A24 film, this movie contains some of the most genuine and progressively-relatable characters ever written. These characters would not be as relatable, however, if not for the excellent performances from its entire cast. Not a single person turns in a weak performance, making this potentially dull story much more engaging. I count it as a win when I get lost in the performances because becoming these characters is what this entire cast does best. Along with a smooth script and direction from Mike Mills, this film is not one to soon forget.
In southern California, 1979, a woman named Dorothea (Annette Bening) and her son Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) live quietly with their housemates Abbie (Greta Gerwig) and William (Billy Crudup). As Jamie grows up and begins acting out a bit and becoming his own person, Dorothea gets help from the younger women in their lives to help guide and teach him how to behave. Along with the help of Jamie's friend Julie (Elle Fanning), he learns what life is like from other people's points of view. Mike Mills' direction and script for this film make for one of the most tender and endearing experiences ever. The dynamics between these characters are what make this overall story so engaging. While the audience not only gets to focus on Dorothea's struggle with being an older woman raising a younger son, there is also a huge focus on the contrast between generations. This made the way for such excellent dialogue between them all and really just felt like Mills was telling a story to a group of friends about his childhood rather than making a movie. Because of that, this film radiates authenticity and catharsis as it purges these emotions from the characters one by one. Every single character is completely fleshed out as we get glimpses into their individual lives, as well as their interactions while living with each other. This telling of their stories is furthered by the clever narration throughout the story, telling the audience what their lives would be like in the future. As this film is set in 1979, the narration told their stories in the future tense, which made for such a compelling narrative. I thought this aspect was incredibly smart and helped me to understand where their stories were going much deeper.
This film is a very simple one yet is told so elegantly. Countless movies have tackled the subject of generational and gender differences but the genuineness of Mills' storytelling makes this film seem like completely new material. This also has to do with the traditionally beautiful cinematography from Sean Porter and how effective it is. I also really adored how this film, set in the late '70s, was told in a modern way through its filmmaking and this created such an interesting atmosphere for its characters. The performances from every one of these artists were fantastic. Bening, Gerwig, Fanning, Crudup, and Zumann had unbelievable chemistry together and made up one of the best makeshift families I have ever seen. What I loved most about these people was how inviting they all seemed with each other and how not much context was needed to show how they all cared for each other. While there were, of course, dramatic points of conflict to drive the narrative, the movie really finds its strengths in relying on these characters, gorgeously and carefully written by Mills. The combination of all of these mesmerizing roles just made for one of the warmest films ever. I could get lost in southern California in 1979 and find comfort in knowing that I was being taken care of by these characters. More than anything, though, 20th Century Women is a simply told but gorgeous drama that incorporates comedy and pure emotion in the most lighthearted fashion.
20th Century Women is a fantastic and tender film that touches the audience's hearts with each and every character and through each and every performance. While some people might relate to the movie more than others, the way this story was told and the vessels that it was told through is undeniably beautiful. I would absolutely recommend this film as a perfect look at how to properly raise your son in the '70s (in case anyone was planning on doing that soon).
My Rating: ★★★★½
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