Mistress America

A New York college student with literary ambitions finds ample material when she befriends a scatterbrained socialite in this serio-comic frolic co-written - like Frances Ha before it - by director Noah Baumbach and leading lady Greta Gerwig. As the film recalls 1930s screwball comedy and Gerwig's delightful turn channels the young Katharine Hepburn, the result feels both old and new at the same time. Full of madcap schemes and instant enthusiasms, Gerwig's character is the dominating presence, her eccentric wit masking an underlying desperation to succeed. Yet relative newcomer Lola Kirke's sinewy contribution, as the seemingly shy student whose own ambitions have a steely glint, proves more than a match. The zingy dialogue brings laughter in almost every scene, though like Woody Allen at his best, Baumbach and Gerwig also capture the corrosive rivalries and shifting relationships in such upscale social circles. Both hilarious and poignant, this is a richly rewarding treat from a film-maker and his muse at the top of their game.