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Review: ‘Support the Girls’ Showcases the True Meaning of Sisterhood
August 24, 2018Britany Murphy
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When you are great at your job, but it's not exactly where you want to be, it takes a lot of of you. For Lisa (Regina Hall), this is the exact problem, and it makes for a witty, albeit dramatic turn of events in writer/director Andrew Bujalski's latest film. Support the Girls opens with Lisa sitting in her car, a frown on her face whilst tears stream down her cheeks. The typically happy-go-lucky GM is attempting to have a moment alone before the sound of knuckles rapping against the window jolt her from her solitude. From here, Lisa leaves her own troubles aside as she becomes somewhat of a den mother to the group of young women who work with her at the Hooters-esque restaurant called Double Whammies. And it doesn't take Lisa long to forget her own struggles as she quickly gets into manager mode, planning the day and schedules with ease, while training some potential new staff members. Lisa is the best general manager that Double Whammies has ever seen. Not only does she do her best to make sure that the eatery is always running to its best capacity, but she makes sure that all of the employees are always at their best. Lisa loves her girls and all the complex problems that they being to the table, whether it be a sick child or a disrespectful customer. And despite the upheaval in all of their lives, all the girls at the restaurant try their best to keep smiles on their faces, even when dealing with Cubby (James Le Gros), their bully of an owner. While Lisa does her best to make sure all the girls are taken care of and given the best, Cubby is the exact opposite. He does not care about his employees, is neglectful of their hours, and would rather have policies that include only one Black woman per shift, rather than think about the harmful message this sends to his staff. Cubby even complains when he hears about the impromptu car wash that Lisa and the girls hold, in an effort to raise funds for Shaina (Jana Kramer) who is in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. All throughout the various ups and downs that surround the restaurant and its workers, Lisa goes back and forth at breakneck speed in an attempt to keep everything running smoothly. Delivering a standout performance, Hall is completely believable as the Double Whammies manager, and is able to take the audience on a roller coaster of emotions in a relatively short amount of time. Lisa is a character that you always find yourself rooting for because you know that she is doing the best she can with what she's given, while trying to better the lives of her fellow employees, especially when they do not get much from their terrible excuse for a boss. Whether dealing with her own personal issues or trying to help out the women she works with, it's clear that Lisa is the kind of person that many strive to be: caring, helpful and resilient. Hall is complimented perfectly by a great supporting cast that includes Haley Lu Richardson as Maci, AJ Michalka as Krista, Lea DeLaria as Bobo, Dylan Gelula as Jennelle, and Shayna McHayle as Danyelle. Together, this Double Whammies crew have great comedic timing, but are also just as good during the movie's more serious moments, as they manage to take easy command of their respective characters, while the blend of different personalities adds an extra layer of fun to the proceedings. Make no mistake, Support the Girls should not be chalked up as "just another chick flick," because it's much more than that. This is a movie that shows the true strength that people have, even if you do not know what exactly they are going through. It shows that there is strength in numbers and, most importantly, just how good it feels to have someone in your corner and someone rooting for you. Support the Girls releases August 24th, 2018 from Mongrel Media. The film has an MPAA rating of R for language including sexual references, and brief nudity. Its runtime is 1 hr. 34 min. |
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