Pitchforks: 4.5/5
Rated: PG-13
Released: March 15 (New York and Los Angeles)
"Ginger & Rosa," written and directed by Sally Potter, provides a compelling story of coming of age and dealing with the trials of life. Young actresses Elle Fanning and Alice Englert showcase stellar acting that will propel them into brilliant careers.
"Ginger & Rosa" centers around two rebellious best friends, Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert), living in 1960s London during a time of uncertainty. Ginger, while living with her on-and-off-again parents Natalie (Christina Hendricks) and Roland (Alessandro Nivola), becomes immersed in poetry and the politics of the ongoing Cuban Missile Crisis by joining in on protests against the use of nuclear weapons. Rosa, however, resorts to other things like boys and prayer in order to cope with the looming crisis.
Ginger and Rosa's once inseparable relationship crumbles as Rosa begins taking interest in Roland after a sailing trip. With the escalation of outside political tensions, Ginger finds sanctuary in the presence of a gay couple (Timothy Spall and Oliver Platt) and their poet friend (Annette Benning). While hanging on to the hope that if she can survive the missile crisis, she can also survive her own personal crisis.
Although the beginning of "Ginger and Rosa" is a bit slow, the pace of the film mirrors the escalation of the Cuban Missile Crisis with Ginger's personal crisis. As the tensions of the missile crisis reach a pinnacle, so does Ginger's hidden emotions about the situation between her father and her best friend. With Rosa's surprising news, Ginger flees to a nuclear war protest and reaches an emotional breakdown after she is arrested. But she somewhat comes to peace when she finally confesses the secret to her mother that has been causing her inner turmoil.
Fanning gives a stellar performance of girl wanting to become an adult, but finds the spirit of her youth in the end. Ginger truly comes of age as she begins to pick up the pieces of her life.
Fanning's performance allows the audience to relate and ultimately feel the same emotions as Ginger. "Ginger & Rosa" will sky rocket her into a bright career with awards to come. With her other stellar performance in "Phoebe in Wonderland," we can be sure to expect great things from Fanning.
Reach the reporter at hdiiullo@asu.edu or follow on Twitter @HaleighD_SP
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