Beautiful Girls is a movie I probably would have loved if not for the wart on its ass.
First, the good: Love the conversationality of this one, and the compelling cross-section of characters at different points in adulthood. And it really captures a dead-end hometown well. What does it say about me that I’m starting to find the “boring” characters in these types of movies (Noah Emmerich) as the most relatable and realized ones?
Now, the wart: The Natalie Portman arc didn’t do nearly enough to overcome the ookiness of the film interrogating the romantic chemistry between a late 20-something and a 13-year-old. It totally torpedoes the film.
Is It Good?
Nearly Good (4/8)
Note: This capsule review was originally published elsewhere. If I watch this movie again, I might expand this to a full-length review.
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