Michelle Williams rarely ever picks a bad movie. Every movie I’ve ever seen with MW has been amazing. Blue Valentine, Wendy and Lucy, Brokeback Mountain, etc. Gurlfriend knows how to pick a flick.
Me Without You is another one of those pesky Netflix movies that always shows up but never gets watched. I didn’t know it was from 2001, until I saw Michelle Williams pre-waif, pre-Heath and pre-huge fame.
The movie centers around two neighbor best friends. They grow up through the 70s, 80s, 90s and end in 2001. I liked the movie, but that’s a whole lotta life and time to condense into 100 minutes. It doesn’t feel like it moves too fast, but it does feel like some individual character development gets lost in the story arc of the friendship. The friendship IS the movie, but it’s kind of like meeting a couple or “bestfriends*. You meet these weird, connected human beings and you never really get to know them individually besides some obvious characteristics.
It was definitely nice to watch a movie about two gal pals that wasn’t steeped in bullshit situations and lame dudes named shit like “Chip” or “Kevin” who are 25 and still talk about “the big game” because that was the peak of their life. The acting was solid, but what else do you expect from our girl Michelle?!
If you’re feeling nostalgic about yesteryear, even if you weren’t alive in the 70s, watch it. There are some great girl moments including dressing up in trashbags in the forest, after leaving our parents homes of course, to look hip for a “cool party”. We’ve all donned some pretty crazy shit trying to look cool. If you’re not feeling good for a friendship drama that takes place mostly in the 70s/80s, skip it.
Nevertheless, the clothing is amazing. It’s crazy shit, but like the over the top kind of crazy that involves heroin and blow with a shot ton of tulle and fishnets. Stella McCartney for Chloé is to thank for the fashion in the film.
Sidenote: I’ve learned that Netflix has very weird copywriters who write the descriptions, because the descripts are always weird and not really that jiving with the film. I need to keep reminding myself that whoever is writing this shit ain’t workin too hard.
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