20th Century Women serves as something of a companion piece to Mike Mills’ second feature Beginners. Both semi-autobiographical pieces, but where the earlier venture drew from his experiences with his father, his new film is maternal in its roots. A love letter to not just a mother’s influence, but all women and how they shape us.
Set in 1979 Santa Barbara, 20th Century Women follows Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening), a single mother in her 50s who runs a boarding house in Santa Barbara. Conscious of the lack of a father figure in her son Jamie’s (Lucas Jade Zumann) life, she enlists two other women in his life to step up and help. Abbie (Greta Gerwig), a free-spirited 30-something lodger and Julie (Elle Fanning), one of Jamie’s closest friends and a girl whose blossoming into womanhood is causing much consternation in his life. Also drawn in is William (Billy Crudup), a handyman who despite being emotionally stunted himself, rounds out the makeshift family Dolores assembles to support Jamie, expand his horizons and prepare him for the life ahead of him.
It’s a synopsis that seems simple, and it is, but 20th Century Women is an incredibly layered piece. A coming of age tale, but where the focus is on the people around the subject, three women, each representing a different generation and worldview. Crowd-sourced parenting we’d call it today, but during the 70s this community driven lifestyle was far more commonplace. Weaving in other period elements, it immerses you in the era, feeling like a scrapbook at times, reflecting on the past, cutting in influential social and cultural elements. A change in the mother/son dynamic is what precipitates the film’s narrative, examining that distance that grows between a mother and child with the passage of time, and how the former tries to not only remain connected, but to still try and help prepare them for their life ahead. Dolores sense the cultural shift unfolding, recognizing it and her own inability to understand it. Concerns compounded by the lack of a father figure in Jamie’s life.
Annette Bening delivers her best work in years as Dorothea, a woman whose maternal wisdom is wrapped around someone who’s confused and a little lost. Bening uses silence and pauses to convey more than many would do with a 5 minute monologue, while her dancing to Black Flag as she starts to let go of her anxieties and protectiveness of her son is one of the most joyous scenes of the year. While Bening is the center of the film, Greta Gerwig is the one who draws your eye. Her Abbie is vivacious, unfettered, alive, attributes emboldened by her recent brush with cervical cancer. Her honesty with Jamie heightens her influence, and she’s the one character Dorothea really seems to trust to do right by her son, giving him a crash course in social issues, politics and culture. The trifecta is completed by Julie, who Fanning imbues with a confidence that comes with being a young girl who knows she’s wanted, but like Jamie is still on the periphery of leaving childhood behind. They’re all real, flesh and blood characters, ones you know that if you met as a teen, would imprint in your mind forever. To his credit, Lucas Jade Zumann isn’t lost amidst these three great performances, doing well to craft a relatable teen, one that is having difficulty in relating to his mother, and mildly rebelling as a result. His conflicting feelings with Julie also being well handled. Likewise, Billy Crudup does nuanced work as William, the only other real male figure in the film and one who often seems as primed for development as Jamie.
20th Century Women is compelling throughout and imbued with authenticity, unsurprising as it is inspired by Mills’ own childhood. It feels precise, but flows so naturally. The visual flourishes, narration and other cinematic tricks that Mills uses feel wonderfully entwined with this sojourn back to a different era. It’s so much a comedy, although there are plenty of character moments that will raise a smile, with a wistful feel that holds it back from being a full blown drama. It’s about ends and beginnings, as well as the experiences, interactions, and epiphanies we have inbetween, and is just a joy throughout.
The Package
The Blu-ray showcases an impressive transfer for 20th Century Women. Natural, brilliant colors showcase the beautiful West coast scenery on display, while the contrast and detail is excellent, the Field’s home interior and facial details are fine examples. The release offers a beautiful representation, fitting for the film and another reminder of distributor A24’s stellar 2016. Special features include:
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Mike Mills: A rather technical commentary, interesting no doubt, but it touches more on his approach to making the film rather than writing it. There are some personal touches drawing from his own life as well as comments on the cast and their relationships.
- Making 20th Century Women: Rather short at just under 10 minutes, and offering little in the way of depth. Cast and crew discuss their role in the film, intercut with behind the scenes footage.
- 20th Century Cast Featurette: Director Mike Mills discusses the casting for each role and how those brought on board helped alter when he’d originally written, with insights also offered by the actors. Brisk but interesting.
- Digital download code.
The Bottom Line
20th Century Women is a showcase of incredible performances, each crafting unique but familiar characters. Mills deftly weaves in nostalgia and personality, resulting in a true love letter to an era, but mostly he celebrates the ability of women to inspire, provoke, push and protect us. A personal yarn, infused with a undeniable vitality and warmth.
20th Century Women arrives on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital HD) and DVD March 28 from Lionsgate.
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