Oscars Preview: 30 Movies to Watch Before the Nominations Come Out!
By Emily Scott
Image courtesy of A24
20th Century Women
What it’s about:
Dorothea is a single mother raising a teenage son in Santa Barbara in the late 70’s. Dorothea worries that being the only parental influence in her son’s life will be insufficient in helping him become a good man. So she enlists the help of two young women to help guide him. One is Abbie, a punk artist who becomes a tenant in their home. The other is Julie, Jamie’s rebellious teenage friend. Through the generational influences of an older mom, a young adult woman, and a teenage girl, Jamie learns many different perspectives of the world. And likewise, each woman learns the perspectives of the others.
Major Players:
The film is written and directed by Mike Mills. The stars of the film include four-time nominee Annette Bening as Dorothea, Greta Gerwig as Abbie, and Elle Fanning as Julie.
What the Critics are Saying:
20th Century Women is proving to be a very well-liked film, particularly based on its 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have in particular been singing the praises of Annette Bening’s performance. David Edelstein of Vulture calls her “too singular to be summed up in a few tired adjectives. She’s irreducible.”
Additionally, reviewers are quick to cement Mike Mills’s place at the table of artists to watch. The A.V. Club’s A. A. Dowd writes, “20th Century Women proves that Mike Mills is the real deal, that his previous success story was not a fluke but the announcement of a vibrant new voice.” But the overall effect of the film has left some critics unsatisfied. Owen Gleiberman of Variety notes that the film “…is an endless chain of anecdotes, and though many individual moments are winning, the movie as a whole is rudderless. It never achieves an emotional power surge.”
Possible Nominations:
Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay (Mills), Best Director (Mike Mills), Leading Actress (Bening), Supporting Actress (Gerwig)