In our Blue Filter series, we are inviting our writers to reflect on the films that they have connected with through challenging or upsetting times, both during the COVID-19 pandemic and before. In the latest entry of the series, Charlotte Grimwade discusses how the films of Greta Gerwig have provided emotional respite and helped her to value different areas of her life.
As a history student, I often get asked who I’d invite to my dream dinner party. Greta Gerwig nearly always features. Over the past three years her films, both starring and directed by her, have captured what it means to come-of-age in times of turbulence. Her characters face intrinsically human issues, whether that be the prospect of starting college, encountering the instability of one’s early twenties, and ultimately realising that not understanding yourself to the fullest degree is fine.
The first film I watched starring Gerwig was Mistress America. Written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, the 2015 comedy follows college student Tracy befriend her soon-to-be stepsister Brooke who also lives in New York. Over the course of the film, Tracy grows to realise that Brooke’s seemingly incredible life isn’t all it seems, as her inhibitions crumble to reveal she’s equally lost and uncertain. Not as frustratingly pretentious or confusing as female protagonists from movies such as 500 Days of Summer, Gerwig portrays women who contend with and often embrace their feelings of uncertainty, capturing a refreshing sense of ‘free-spiritedness.’
I watched Mistress America back in March 2020 during the height of the first lockdown. I was uncertain about my future; whether or not I’d be doing my A-levels and the prospect of eventually going to university. The film managed to alleviate these nerves. I saw Gerwig’s character continue to maintain an intense energy and love for life whilst simultaneously being in tune with her emotions and insecurities.
20th Century Women is one of my favourite films from the past decade, depicting the life of one eclectic household in late 1970s Santa Barbara. At the time of its release, many criticised the film for being about nothing in particular. In my opinion, this overlooks its beauty; the way in which it captures small, mundane, and exquisitely imperfect moments. More broadly, however, the plot focuses on single-mother, Dorothea, attempting to raise her 15-year-old son, Jamie, with the assistance of the two other women who frequent their charming house. Gerwig plays one of these women—Abbey, a photographer who takes Jamie to concerts and effortlessly embodies the charming ‘cool girl’ aesthetic Gerwig is so well known for.
The film captures the nostalgia of summers spent at home as a child. Despite resenting the ongoing sense of boredom I felt over the large duration of my summer holidays, 20th Century Women reminded me that peace and contentment can be found in stillness. The film is stunning to watch, incorporating a mixture of warm summer tones alongside the dark edginess of underground concerts. Aside from being a commentary about variations within the spectrum of ‘womanhood,’ the film perfectly represents the turbulence of adolescence, something which I’m sure many can relate to.
Lady Bird is Gerwig’s 2017 solo directorial debut. Starring Saoirse Ronan as Christine or “Lady Bird,” we spend just over 90 minutes witnessing the beautifully messy ins and outs of growing up, parental conflict, and resolution. Lady Bird floats between gritty issues and comedy, as we grow to love the evidently flawed yet extremely likeable main character. Gerwig’s film contends with the subconscious fear of trying to be ‘not like the other girls’ and the apparent flaws with this mentality. Christine is overly pretentious, to an almost comedic extent, but these amusing attempts at self-discovery are what make the film so relatable and enjoyable. Reminding me of my sixth form experience, in which identity crises and intense friendships were the norm, Lady Bird embodies some of the more superficial elements of adolescence without belittling it.
It’s abundantly clear that Gerwig has the unique of ability of capturing transient stages of womanhood. Her latest film, Little Women, only continues to demonstrate this. Notably emphasising the nuance of Amy’s position in tandem with Jo’s, I left the cinema feeling like I’d finally seen a truly multi-faceted adaptation of one of my favourite books. Despite being set in the nineteenth century, Little Women’s plot contains universal themes of sisterhood, friendship and self-discovery. Although I will always like the 1994 film adaptation starring Winona Ryder and Christian Bale, Gerwig brought a new perspective to the story, cleverly using flashbacks and symbolism to make the film much more than just the plot.
Throughout my childhood, Little Women was always one of my favourite books, so much so that it was overwhelming to watch a new adaptation of the film in the cinema. In fact, Gerwig’s Little Women was the last film I saw in a cinema before the start of the pandemic. As I sat there next to one of my childhood best friends, I found myself in tears a mere thirty minutes in. I rarely cry during films but, despite fully knowing the ins and outs of Little Women’s plot, I found an overwhelming sense of catharsis from watching a film about friendship surrounded by some of my favourite people in the world. It’s a testament to Gerwig’s directorial ability that the film so intensely struck a chord with me.
Gerwig’s films have provided a much-needed sense of emotional comfort. As I’ve moved to a new city for university, these films reassure me that everything will work out, and that there’s something to be said for making and learning from mistakes. Gerwig’s movies strike the perfect balance between both romanticising and realistically depicting womanhood, ensuring that you feel satisfied after watching any of her films.
Words by Charlotte Grimwade
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