In 1970s San Francisco, Minnie is the 15 year old daughter of a loser mother, a would-be cartoonist, and beginning to explore her sexuality, which she chooses to do with her mother's equally loser boyfriend (and others).
Based on a graphic novel, this film is well played by Kristen Wiig as the mother, and with a particularly courageous performance (by which, as usual, I mean featuring a lot of nudity and simulated sex) from English Bel Powley. It's not just courageous, it's a good performance.
The problem, for me, was that the film didn't actually have much to say. OK, let's be controversial by making her 15 (Powley was 22 when making the film, but convinces as a sexually precocious 15-year old), but then they did nothing with that. It could have explored the issue of the age of consent: it didn't. Instead, the main plot dynamic was when and how drug-addled Mom would find out, and that wasn't really enough to sustain the movie.
I quite liked the performances and the stylish direction, but I wanted more meat on the bones.
Based on a graphic novel, this film is well played by Kristen Wiig as the mother, and with a particularly courageous performance (by which, as usual, I mean featuring a lot of nudity and simulated sex) from English Bel Powley. It's not just courageous, it's a good performance.
The problem, for me, was that the film didn't actually have much to say. OK, let's be controversial by making her 15 (Powley was 22 when making the film, but convinces as a sexually precocious 15-year old), but then they did nothing with that. It could have explored the issue of the age of consent: it didn't. Instead, the main plot dynamic was when and how drug-addled Mom would find out, and that wasn't really enough to sustain the movie.
I quite liked the performances and the stylish direction, but I wanted more meat on the bones.