On the surface “20th Century Women” feels as cool as a Joni Mitchell song, but quickly into the film, the 1970s nostalgia loses its edge. Nothing sounds as ephemerally groovy as a coming of age story in mid-nineteenth century Santa Barbara, but with contrived characters and a non-existent plot, “20th Century Women” can’t save itself from the retro movie wasteland.
Starting off with a whirlwind, but still boring introduction that takes place in a grocery store parking lot, we meet Jamie, (Lucas Jade Zumann) a young impressionable teen and his candid single mother, Dorothea (Annette Bening.) They aren’t your average broken family. Since they live with a wounded art student, (Greta Gerwig) a jaded teenage girl (Elle Fanning) and an ex-hippy carpenter, (Billy Crudup) there’s enough drama to fill the house, as well as the film’s two-hour runtime.
Despite the appealing character setup, our ability to delve into each’s unique struggle is stunted as they fight for time. Gerwig’s beautifully sad portrayal of Abbie, deserved the whole film to develop, while Fanning’s rude character, Julie, hogged screen time, and Crudup’s backburner role added cliches to the already vacant plot.
That being said, “20th Century Women’s” general pitch is a good one. Dorothea enlists Jamie’s offbeat support system to raise him better than “men of his kind.” Through Dorothea, Julie and Abbie, Jamie learns about motherhood, the female orgasm, and even cervical cancer. At one point Jamie reads in a voice-over some radically feminist books like “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” and “Sisterhood is Powerful.”
Director Mike Mill’s message has good intentions, it’s just centered poorly. The film is too obsessed with Jamie and looking at the women in his life through his lens. It’s obvious he’s supposed to be a formidable sponge, but his perspective never develops nor does his naïve demeanor mature.
The fact that Jamie’s ripped t-shirts are cooler than him proves the setting was too integral to the film. Sure, Jamie goes to punk shows, listens to the Talking Heads, and longboards along the California coastline, but the effect only lasts so long.
It’s “20th Century Women’s” familial sentiments and lessons on growing up and respect that give the film an authentic, beating heart. There may be a jumble of intentions and emotions within the film, but thanks to the comforting, wacky kind of family formed by the cast, “20th Century Women” will at least leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.