Tracy (Lola Kirke) is a college literature freshman eager to be in New York. However, she is unable to connect anywhere. She fails to get into the literary society. Tony is her only new friend who also failed to get in. Then he starts dating the possessive Nicolette. Tracy's mother suggests meeting her future step-sister Brooke (Greta Gerwig). Brooke is a self-obsessed over-confident thirty year old pushing to open her own restaurant. Tracy is completely taken and inspired to write a short story based on her.There are some funny stuff as Greta Gerwig goes over the top with her character. It has some poignancy with Lola Kirke until the climatic confrontation. It goes over into farce for a second. Noah Baumbach has the movie building up to a compelling fun emotional resolution. He pushes a little too hard. There needs to be more variation to the characters' reaction. They need to voice their own complaints about Tracy. It also wouldn't hurt if Karen and Harold don't care while talking about themselves. The scene is wrong but it could have been hilarious. Otherwise, there are some good fun laughs to be had.

Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig are at it again, "it" being what it means to be a 20- something in New York City. In "Mistress America," however, the lens and perspective shifts away from the character you'd expect a movie like to this to intimately follow (Gerwig's interesting, ambitious, never-boring Brooke) and instead observes her from an outsider's perspective (Tracy, played by Lola Kirke).Tracy is instead the main character, a Barnard freshman studying literature and writing, trying to make her way through that formidable (and familiar) landscape. Inspiration strikes, however, when she meets Brooke, her future step-sister. Brooke is around 30, and she's been through the grinder both personally and professionally. She is an innovator who always has big ideas, and Tracy uses her life as the basis of a short story that she hopes will get her into the school's prestigious lit magazine. Things get particularly interesting when Brooke finds herself locked out of her apartment one day and learns that her boyfriend has pulled all his financial support out of a restaurant they were just about to open together and she seeks a psychic for advice on where to turn next.Through this blossoming relationship between Tracy and Brooke we observe the typical indie film "portrait of a Millennial" in a way that both mythologizes it (evidenced by Tracy's story/perception of Brooke) and makes it hit home. Brooke is quirky and her life is a melodrama, but it also feels very real. Baumbach and Gerwig's previous collaboration, "Frances Ha," also struck this seemingly contradictory chord of authenticity and whimsy. When there is a dissonance, it's softened by the knowledge that there's such emotional truth at the core of what they're doing.Another way of putting it is that Baumbach and Gerwig aren't so interested in plot points and what happens. At less than 90 minutes, this movie about a relationship between a younger and older 20-something is not trying to show you something you've never seen before. What they do care about is the trajectory of the relationships between characters. It's hard not to see a piece of yourself in the characters, especially if you're of a similar age, and that holds our attention enough that "Mistress America" doesn't fall apart, even when it's not especially compelling."Mistress America" also tends to be be philosophical and angsty. The level of intellectual conversation is to a degree that rarely happens in real life, let alone in these perfect scene-length snippets, but again, like other parts of the film that gravitate closer to being over-the-top, the creative choice to lean that way comes from a strong and earnest desire to explore very relevant themes and ideas.Frankly, Baumbach and Gerwig could tell a hundred different stories about coming of age in your 20s or 30s in a big city and I'd watch (especially at such a reasonable runtime). But even if you don't think you could, the effort they make to explore a unique "relationship" between two women in "Mistress America" and cast light on this familiar film from a new angle makes this particularly story worthwhile.~Steven CThanks for reading! Visit Movie Muse Reviews for more

1. Writing/Acting? I think the writing really good and should keep you engaged. I don't know other Noak Baumbach's works but his fans seem disappointed with this one. Greta Gerwig character reminded me of Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless" and Lola Kirke is just adorable. Both leads were great as well as supporting cast. The writing combined with the acting made it enjoyable similar to movies rated 6.7 or 6.8 in IMDb. 2. Did it make me laugh? Just a little but I watched this alone. Greta Gerwig character gives you the most attempts to laugh.3. Unnecessary, unrealistic components? Scenes from old boyfriends house was a bit silly and unnatural but not over the top. The good writing keeps it in control. You find no special effects of gimmicks.4. Soundtrack? Subconsciously, I might be giving the movie higher ratings because the music put me in the right place. Subtle background songs that seem to have "The Cure" influenced in several scenes. There were other 80's tunes made it flow for me.

There are several reasons why Mistress America may be considered a wonderful movie. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and has a very sophisticated sense of humour. The main actors all have exaggerated characters that always behave in certain ways (kind of like the cast in The Office) -- and the actors play these roles to perfection.The writing and delivery of dialogue in the climax of the film is particularly amazing, with fast, witty exchanges filled with little jokes. Yet, the movie vacillates from hilarity to melancholy without warning the viewer, which makes the film all the more special.The depiction of and commentary on NYC, youth, etc. is all spot on, making this movie worth the watch.Finally, the soundtrack is excellent too, giving the movie a very alt/indie feel. Many negative reviewers sadly fail to appreciate the sophisticated writing and humour, along with the truly wonderful job that the lead actors have done in this unpretentious flick.