Fort Tilden

Two neurotic, millennial females, from NY. The self-absorbed art scene. Pretty sad actually. Empty group of people with no actual talent, but they are all too fragile to tell each other that the aren't any good.

Reading other people's reviews of the film I can clearly see this movie isn't for everyone. But it was absolutely a movie for me!

The film is about two recent grads: best friends and roommates Harper and Allie. Meeting two cute guys at a performance neither of one want to be at they make loose plans to meet up with the guys at Fort Tilden the following day where they plan to hook up with them. The following day they set off on their bikes and of course everything that could go wrong does go wrong.

Let's get one thing straight: the women are straight up selfish, egotistical, a**holes. Behind their cutesy faux-kind personalities they snipe at one another and others and the more their plans go awry the more their facade drops. They are anti-heroines in the vein of Charlize Theron's Mavis in 'Young Adult'. If you liked that movie, you'll love this one.

It's a good movie. Coffee scene alone is worth it. You won't be bummed that you spent time watching it. What more do you want? Okay, so IMDb wants five lines of text or they won't publish my review. I watched it twice to catch certain lines and nuances. Just watch it. It's good. Okay, they need another line of text...

Those last two words "tediously adorable" is what this film, by writer/Director: Sarah-Violet Bliss, is all about!

The story opens with Bridely Elliott as 'Harper' & Clare McNulty as 'Allie' sharing an apartment near Brooklyn and it is the waning days of August. From their speech, character, and connections we can guess these two girls have grown up in a privileged background. Both live a mostly directionless, aimless, and self indulgent existence. We find out from friends that these two girls are always together and are more twin like than the singing twins that open the story on the apartment building rooftop party. Harper & Allie meet two boys at this party and discover the boys are going to Fort Tilden for a day at the beach. Harper invites herself and Allie to meet the boys at the beach the next day. The two boys do not object.

The next day is the beginning of this story. The two girls have made no plans on how to get to Fort Tilden and, just like their lives, their attempt to travel the ten mile journey is without direction and aimless. They are easily distracted by their self indulgence and personal needs. They even borrow a bicycle from a neighbor and ditch it when the other bike is stolen as they watch the thief take it.

After arriving at the beach, very late in the day, Harper & Allie learn a 'truth' about themselves. They are both about 25 years old and both are college graduates. The boys and two unexpected girls that are with the boys are just teenagers and still in high school. Harper & Allie had no idea they were just teens. Harper's & Allie's view of the world around them is just like they live it. They find themselves still thinking like teens and avoiding the responsibilities of being adults.

After returning to their apartment the movie ends just like it began. Allie receives a video on her computer by the singing twins and both girls listen to them sing and Allie describes them as being tediously adorable. That is how I found this film about a day in the life of Harper & Allie - tediously adorable. These two are likable and charming characters. Their intentions are noble in thought but both lack the will and drive to follow through. The dialog, editing, and acting are meritorious and I would recommend this film to anyone seeking a light comedy and a brief nonthreatening adventure of two girls in a big city.

May 2, 2020 - I recently watched this movie again and I still love it. Only this time I see that at movies end Allie has taken a personal leap by telling Harper - "Then don't listen". And Harper realizes she has had the carpet pulled out from under her. Anybody who has watched this film will understand what I mean.

These are your typical transplants that come and ruin this place. Don't call them NYers. We have grot and smarts. I watched to see their demise.

Yes, i am a bitter gen X loser. But i am a NYer and thats better than EVERYONE.