All the Real Girls

All the Real Girls This is possibly the most accurate film about coming of age in small town America. It does this two ways first as other reviewers have noted the cast in the film portrays a realistic group of people making the best of it in a small town. Their behaviors are ordinary and often verge on boring much like a "normal person" in a small town, and not what Hollywood would have us believe youth/people are like. Upon further reflection I realize anyone outside of the norm really sticks out in this film in an awkward if not contemptible way. For the youth it is basically a waiting age for the big thing that will enhance their lives. I do not believe any of the young characters had much of anything resembling a job. They young cast of men hang out at a salvage yard and help/get in the way through the movie. The older characters are stoic and though they say little you get a feeling that they have seen it all before possibly in their own lives or of others.

The second amazing thing about this film is how well it captures the pace of small town life. It is repetitive and monotonous but in the stillness maybe one is capable of seeing more beauty then in faster paced places. I have never been to a North Carolina mill town and till this film never even thought about one but the filming of the area is very well done showing beauty where you least expect it be it the rain in a textile factor or someone going "Shhh shh".

On these two factors alone I'd recommend this film but the acting and story is very solid. It has been over a year since I viewed the film but the images still come to mind rather vividly, but the names of the characters escape me so I will leave that to others. I do not know who directed this film or for that matter recognized any of the actors but that is more of a testament of how strong of a work this film is and I highly recommend it.

I went into this movie with absolutley no expectations, and it seems I was better off than a lot of people who reviewed it negatively. This is by far one of the best, most realistic romance films (or films in general) I've ever seen. Not everyone likes to be beaten over the head by unrealistic Cinderella stories, and this movie is perfect for people who are sick of funny and romantic "romps." Not to say it isn't both funny and romantic, because it is. It's just strikingly different from most. I loved the stark cinematography, the beautifully understated and timeless soundtrack and, most of all, the superbly real acting in this film. (Patricia Clarkson is God.) I enjoy the human comedy, even when it doesn't end on a tradtionally happy note, and this is right up there with "Harold and Maude" in my list of favorite relationship movies ever. The bottom line is this movie made me feel. Sometimes happy and sometimes sad, I never found myself disinterested in what would happen next. No, I don't recommend it if you're looking for the next "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." But if you're looking to feel something and can handle a film with pacing that allows you to analyze your emotions between scenes, this is it. Of course, it also helps that Paul Schneider is the cutest, quirkiest guy I've seen break down in a long time. Likewise, Zooey Deschanel's performance was authentic and devastating. I loved this movie.

I knew that "All the Real Girls" was going to receive a pretty intense amount of backlash for its sparseness, but damn if there aren't some pretty hostile remarks here, (haha). Can't say that I blame people for dissing it though. I, surprisingly, found myself having a lot more patience for this film then I thought. It could be because I live relatively close to the town where it was filmed, (well kind of, Raleigh's about 3-4 hours from Asheville), and found it to be a relatively accurate portrayal of young folks living in a small, North Carolina mountain town. In an environment like this you have tight-knit communities, close friendships, not much of an economic prospect, (hence all the late-20 something kids still living with their parents), very blissful scenery, and plenty of room for dreaming.

Paul, to me, is a very believable character as is his situation. He kind of fits the stereotype of a tough, damaged dreamer, but his awkwardness with Zoe and his playful monkeying with his friends and family break him of the James Dean mold. His character seems to have been very carefully crafted as to not fall into any cliches. Paul is certainly not the smartest individual, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and and seems just emotionally "open" enough. Though he's essentially in the same boat as his friends, (endless monotony in a small town, seeming to go nowhere, etc.), he does possess some sustenance that his friends don't seem to have. Paul has burnt all of his bridges in regards to his cynical romantic life, but he still has hope that there is more for life to offer. Paul's tainted image as a heartbreaker and a user is never very visible, but his willingness to express his regret and desire to change provide his character with some pretty rugged layering. He wishes to come to terms with his past, but wants to move forward as a better, changed man. Paul is delighted at the discovery of finding true love, but is also scared of losing it.

I enjoyed the rest of the characters as well. The tough, older brother of the girl you love- (Tip), the clown- (Bust Ass, his extra scenes on the DVD are a riot), the quiet, philosophical friend- (Bo), the damaged, but sweet natured, uncle, the desperate, but loving, mother. All of them were very real to me. Their subtlety and simple dialogue really brought this film to life for me, (though the subtlety seems to be what loses most viewers).

I'm not sure films of this nature should come with some kind of "be prepared for slow pacing and little action" warning, but they certainly are not everyone. For me, I enjoyed every cinematic sweep of the Asheville Mountains as well as the very realistic emotional intensity that mounted between all the characters. The soundtrack was equally amazing. Every song was perfectly placed and not overused. This is the first film I've seen by this director, and I look forward to any other he will make.

"All the Real Girls" is a beautiful effort by writer/director David Gordon Green to visualize inarticulate people as they struggle with love.

The scenic North Carolina landscape surrounds the characters as they seek, unsuccessfully, for comparable inner beauty with romance and family. But human interactions can't be as perfect as a sunset.

Every person here is hurting in some way (including a widower uncle and a developmentally disabled brother), and if they aren't in the beginning they are by the end as they have to learn to stop idealizing the people they love, who can't live up to that. Some reconcile to it, some can't, and none can explain it.

In this small town, everyone knows everyone's business and heart and can't walk away from that intimacy. While that is realistic and the dialogue is very naturalistic, it's a bit unsatisfying to watch as a romantic drama.

Hunky co-creator Paul Schneider (strikingly like young Kevin Costner) sets up the confusion when he tries to convince us he's the town heartbreaker; I did not pick up for quite awhile that he was supposed to be such a bad boy as he just seemed so sweet from the first scene on. His laidback scenes with aggressive Zooey Deschanel are full of such tenderness as the full force of First True Love hits them, that the disappointments that follow are are quite the downer.

"Tully" had very similar character and story arcs, and, while schmaltzier, was more satisfying as a movie experience.

The alt-country instrumental and song soundtrack, including Mark Olson & the Creekdippers, is quite poignant.

A perfect movie to watch if you're in the mood to just chill out and watch the sunset but it's already dark. It offers the meditative sensation of Baraka combined with a nearly pitch perfect portrayal of a small town slice of life topped off with an inherently interesting 'young love' story. My only thoughts for the filmmaker (and in my opinion a significant oversight) would be to figure out how to wrap up the story without affecting the tone... the last quarter felt tedious as you began to expect the traditional dramatic/thematic resolution and therefore anticipate the number of scenes to come; which work best when you're not intellectually involved but emotionally - or even better - intuitively involved.... once the brain clicks in, the experience becomes of one of anticipation and with a film like this, impatience.