One of my favorite movies from 2018. Haven't seen Results or Computer Chess, but I see something interesting - Bujalski maybe has one of the widest gaps between critic and audience gaps (Rotten tomatoes critics/audience scores):
Support the Girls: 91/60
Results - 85/36 (!)
Computer Chess - 88/53
Wonder why that is... It seems like the audiences are expecting a different movie than what is portrayed by the trailer?
Yeah, a pretty sharp divide. But then, no one said reinventing the cinema was easy! Audiences, even indie ones, are not used to seeing movies like his.
What an amazing film! Regina Hall deserved an Oscar. Thanks for shining a spotlight on this gem before it gets lost in the shuffle.
You rarely see movies featuring hourly workers in a toxic environment. That’s probably part of the critical divide. For a lot of people this is just Tuesday.
This movie has been getting some play recently on HBO. My first exposure to Haley Lu Richardson was on White Lotus Season 2, so it's been nice to see her in this movie when that season ended.
So glad to see this! I watched Support the Girls and Results essentially back to back about a year ago and thought "Is this Bujalski one of the sneaky contenders for best director working right now?" but didn't get around to his other features! This is a great reminder that it's time to rectify that. Wonderful movies.
Thank you for this write up. I had the unique opportunity today to sit down and watch this before reading, and it was tremendous. I had been sitting on this one for years, always wanting to get to it, but never actually getting to it, but for no good reason. I'm glad I got to it. It's a truly excellent movie and it says so much without actually having to say anything at all.
The mumblecore OG! Still have my DVD-R of MUTUAL APPRECIATION I bought in the mail from Bujalski. I think the comparisons to early Demme feel just right ... and maybe some of Rohmer's small scale dramas, too (e.g., BOYFRIENDS AND GIRLFRIENDS).
I'm a librarian not a restaurant server (anymore, at least) but still have pointed many people to this movie as the best encapsulation of the feeling of working customer/public facing jobs as a female manager. And agree, the ending to this one is perfect.
New York Film Critics Circle giving her Best Actress that year was a great and righteous thing.
Great job with this, Scott!
One of my favorite movies from 2018. Haven't seen Results or Computer Chess, but I see something interesting - Bujalski maybe has one of the widest gaps between critic and audience gaps (Rotten tomatoes critics/audience scores):
Support the Girls: 91/60
Results - 85/36 (!)
Computer Chess - 88/53
Wonder why that is... It seems like the audiences are expecting a different movie than what is portrayed by the trailer?
Beeswax I loved, too. FYI, 75/43. Go figure.
Yeah, a pretty sharp divide. But then, no one said reinventing the cinema was easy! Audiences, even indie ones, are not used to seeing movies like his.
And you absolutely have to get on Computer Chess. Maybe a toss-up between that film and this one as my favorite of his.
It's on the watch list now! The ever growing watch list. 🙂
60 for Support The Girls is crazy, it's such a crowd pleaser!
I've been touting RESULTS for years. This is great too. He's on a terrific run.
20 years, Scott!
Support Support The Girls!
What an amazing film! Regina Hall deserved an Oscar. Thanks for shining a spotlight on this gem before it gets lost in the shuffle.
You rarely see movies featuring hourly workers in a toxic environment. That’s probably part of the critical divide. For a lot of people this is just Tuesday.
This movie has been getting some play recently on HBO. My first exposure to Haley Lu Richardson was on White Lotus Season 2, so it's been nice to see her in this movie when that season ended.
Keep on rolling with Columbus! Love Haley Lu.
Also great in Edge of Seventeen. Keep waiting for her to break out as a bigger star, because she's always great.
Freaking love Edge of Seventeen.
So glad to see this! I watched Support the Girls and Results essentially back to back about a year ago and thought "Is this Bujalski one of the sneaky contenders for best director working right now?" but didn't get around to his other features! This is a great reminder that it's time to rectify that. Wonderful movies.
I really liked this when I saw it on release and have still never gotten around to watching other Bujalski movies, so I should get on that.
Update: Watched Funny Ha Ha on MUBI. Charming movie! Surprised Kate Dollenmayer was in no further movies, because she’s very charming.
Thank you for this write up. I had the unique opportunity today to sit down and watch this before reading, and it was tremendous. I had been sitting on this one for years, always wanting to get to it, but never actually getting to it, but for no good reason. I'm glad I got to it. It's a truly excellent movie and it says so much without actually having to say anything at all.
Oh cool. So happy this prompted you to check it out. (And it's tight too, at 90 minutes.)
The mumblecore OG! Still have my DVD-R of MUTUAL APPRECIATION I bought in the mail from Bujalski. I think the comparisons to early Demme feel just right ... and maybe some of Rohmer's small scale dramas, too (e.g., BOYFRIENDS AND GIRLFRIENDS).
I'm a librarian not a restaurant server (anymore, at least) but still have pointed many people to this movie as the best encapsulation of the feeling of working customer/public facing jobs as a female manager. And agree, the ending to this one is perfect.
Weird to me to not mention Office Space which seems an obvious forerunner
Oh, I've got to check out this and Funny Ha Ha. I saw Computer Chess a couple years ago and loved it.
Definitely make it a priority. Bujalski is fantastic.