ALL THE REAL GIRLS is the third and latest David Gordon Green film to air on Reel 13 Indies this year. As good as GEORGE WASHINGTON is, it is also probably the best. ALL THE REAL GIRLS is the most heartfelt of all this films and as a result, the most effective. The plot itself is nothing new – boy meets girl, they fall in love, but can’t be together for various reasons and their struggle to deal with that. However, the application of David Gordon Green’s lyrical style to the redundant narrative elevates it to something special.
The style I speak of is a strong, stark sense of verisimilitude without the device and convention of handheld camera. Characters and situations within the film feel very real even in carefully composed frames, though I would argue that perhaps Green holds on some of the frames a little long, almost defiantly so. Green also does a great job of finding the beauty in every day life around us, both in nature and manmade architecture/design. He features this in a plethora of cutaways and wide shots that help keep the film cinematic without detracting from the naturalism of the performance or the story.
Speaking of performance, one can’t achieve this high a level of verisimilitude on screen without terrific acting and DGG gets just that from most his ensemble. I admit that lead and co-writer Paul Schneider has a few false moments when he is forced to be emotional, but manages to coast on his natural charm for most of the film. Also, a few of the scenes involving Bust-Ass, the Danny McBride character, are highly out of place in the movie. He is fine in the scenes with all guys, but his interactions with the Noel character are forced and the primary drawback of the film. It seems like a failed effort to add levity and comic relief to the film, but it simply doesn’t belong. In spite of those deviations, the rest of the cast is tremendous with Patricia Clarkson doing her usual fine work in a supporting role as well as a surprisingly unheralded Shea Whigham as the best friend caught in the middle. Of course, Zooey Deschanel is the heart of the soul of the film as Noel, the young, sweet object of desire so in love, but also quite troubled. I don’t think it’s a far reach to say that this is the finest performance of her young career. She does a magnificent job presenting a character confused by the strength of her emotions and how to deal with sharing her insecurities and neuroses with another person. Rarely has first love been presented with such heartbreaking truth. I expect the day will come when another filmmaker will challenge Deschanel to tap into the talent so fiercely on display here.
David Gordon Green is a bit of a divisive filmmaker. Critics love him, but most audiences are lukewarm (I discount PINEAPPLE EXPRESS from this discussion, in the determination that it is more of an Apatow film than DGG). Admittedly, the trade off of the poetic qualities of his films is a slower pace. Moments can definitely drag, which is very harmful to films like SNOW ANGELS or UNDERTOW. However, I think ALL THE REAL GIRLS transcends those potential drawbacks due to it’s the universality of its themes and its honest emotions. Also, one has to appreciate the great cinematic qualities of the film – the confident framing, the lush cinematography, the terrific use of sound and dialogue bridges. Perhaps for the only time in Green’s career, he manages to make us fall in love right along with the characters.
(For more information on this or any other Reel 13 film, check out their website at www.reel13.org.)