In 1973, Holly and Marina are best friend neighbors. Holly is from a stable Jewish family while Marina's pilot father is rarely around. In 1978, Holly (Michelle Williams) and Marina (Anna Friel) are desperate to grow up. Holly is infatuated with Marina's brother Nat while Marina's parents are getting divorced. Marina is angry that Holly slept with Nat and tears up his letter to Holly. In 1982, the girls are together in university and Nat comes to visit. Holly is sleeping with her professor (Kyle MacLachlan) but she and Nat spends the night together. Marina continues to sabotage Holly with Nat and sleeps with the professor herself. Eventually Nat announces that he's marrying Isabel breaking Holly's heart. In 1989, Holly is a struggling writer living at home and dating Carl who is a close friend of Marina. Marina seems successful and marrying and converting to Judism. Nat is back with Isabel but their marriage is in trouble.This is a girls' best friends forever relationship filled with jealousy, possession and complications. This is the ugly side of female relationship but it takes a long time to boil over. While I like the dark subject matter, I wish it's handled with a darker style and a darker touch. Although both actresses does an excellent job. Holly's submissiveness really gets on my nerves and Marina needs to be crazier earlier. It hints at Marina's dark home life but it would be helpful to show more of the darkness. The whole tone has too much airy lightness.

The performances of Williams and Friel were engaging enough to overcome even the most worn-out plot; i.e., friends growing up and experiencing change without excepting the others changing. Not to take away from some unusually gritty realism and a smart script and score. All the several supporting players are given just enough background and lines when it'd been easy to drop a few such people to superficial status.Still, MW/oY cannot avoid the need to employ the implausibility of friends staying so attached and frequent and annual meetings of all involved. Such can be overlooked because Holly and Mariana are so intriguing.Guys, this may qualify as a chick flick. But if a guy must suffer through just one chick flick, I recommend this one.

When you live in a suburb of London, in the mid 1970s, your best friend is whomever lives nearby. Such is the case of Holly (Michelle Williams), a bookish and sweetly obedient girl and Marina (Anna Friel), a wild child of an equally wild mom (Trudie Styler), who helps mold and shape the thinking of her more reserved neighbor. Add in Holly's crush on Marina's brother (Oliver Millburn), toss in some drugs, cigarettes, and a college professor (Kyle MacLachlan) when they go off to University and you have a brilliant character study, set against the New Wave 80s, and into the 90s.Holly must deal with control issues from all around her: first her stodgy parents, then dodgy Marina, who has her own agenda, even as she is trying to sabotage Holly's.It's a taut, real story, with authentic performances straight through. The questions it raises about what friends do for and to each other are explored, and the dynamic of who "runs" a relationship is a key element to the tale, just as much as the fantastic soundtrack of 1980s Punk and Brit Rock music.

Every actor gives a remarkable performance in this film which has become my new favorite. Even the soundtrack is excellent, combining The Clash, Echo the Bunnymen, along with other pulsing musical giants, it provides a perfect backdrop to the gorgeous storyline. This simple however very rich tapestry of two young girls growing up together throughout the 70's, 80's, until today reminds me why I love movies. And the character of Nat (Oliver Milburn) reminds me why I want to love. I could watch it over and again still never tiring of the struggle between the two main characters Holly and Marina to grow up into independence. This is especially difficult for Holly as she strives to live under her best/worst friend Marina's constant control. She manipulates every situation with no shame in order to keep Holly closely tied to her and out of her older brother's (Nat) arms. It is a truly intense dynamic between these three souls, one that has inspired me to recommend the movie to others, both men and women as it reaches both sexes. Looks can be deceiving because it is no chick flick, but a highly interesting portrayal of human behavior, highlighted by flaws each one of us have and take for granted. So if you want to see a movie that will stay with you always see this one. It's clever, incredibly moving and intelligently sexy. I highly recommend it!!! : )