What I found to be incredible about this movie is that for a story that goes in many different directions, juggling multiple characters that had the depth to justify their own movies, tackling several deep life related subject matters, is a nice snippet of a look at life in 1979 Santa Barbara California, and even celebrates the punk rock music scene, is that Director-Writer Mike Mills was able to put all of that into a fairly accessible and captivating narrative.
The premise features three females in three different age groups, a teenage boy, and an adult man, that have stories and experiences that should encourage the audience to have a discussion about who we should be and what we should do in this modern world. The narrative is all told in a somewhat stream of consciousness style of showing us scene after scene after scene, that are like slice of life moments, from philosophical discussions, punk rock music, history, montage sequences, monologues, and traditional interpersonal drama.
What a fantastic cast this movie has. Annette Benning and her clever life observations. Elle Fanning and the confidence of her character. Greta Gerwig and her outgoing personality. Lucas Jade Zumann as the kid in the coming of age story. Billy Crudup as the man's man who just wants stability in life. All of them are excellent in this, and I just wanted to follow all their characters' lives, way past the end credits.
LOVED IT enjoyedititsokayitsmehitsterrible
