Very Good Girls (2013)

Director: Naomi Foner

Starring:  Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Boyd Holbrook, Demi Moore, Richard Dreyfuss, Ellen Barkin

More info: IMDb

Plot: Best friends—introspective Lilly and free-spirited Gerry—spend their last summer at home in New York City before parting ways for college. The girls meet Brooklyn boy David, whom they both fall for, and Lilly soon begins a secret relationship with him. As Lilly’s home life falls apart after she discovers her father’s affair and Gerry becomes more obsessed with David, Lilly seeks solace in her first romance. However, a tragedy in Gerry’s family catapults Lilly back into reality, and she must face the consequences of her actions.

My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Nope.

This film was clearly not made for me.  Perhaps if I were a young woman between the age of 11 and 23, but not a forty-something guy.  Though Fanning did a good job, it was Olsen that I was digging.  After seeing her in KILL YOUR DARLINGS (2013) a few days ago, I'm beginning to like this broad.  The supporting cast was fun, especially Dreyfuss.  He was hilarious.  Holbrook's character was pretty bland but I kind of liked how he was underplayed and rather boring because the two girls (more so with Fanning) would still be attracted to him.  It's such a drag when you get the same male love interest that's all moody and complicated, the cookie cutter character that Hollywood puts in coming of age pictures like this.  I appreciated the change.

SPOILERS AHEAD...YARRRRR!

There was a scene with Fanning where she looks and strokes her tummy, some time after losing her virginity to Holbrook.  That encounter started with him on top of her, missionary style, hand outstretched with a condom.  He appears to start fucking her and the rubber falls out of his hand (or the hand drops to the floor, can't remember which).  I was under the impression that they didn't use the rubber so when the tummy stroke scene happens I thought that was a signal that she was pregnant.  She'd also been trying for days to get in touch with him to no avail.  She's distraught and the next thing she does is go to her horndog employer to seduce him (it didn't take much with this cat).  When they're about to do the deed he excuses himself to go get a rubber.  She suddenly changes her mind and leaves.  It seemed to me that since he was going to use a rubber, she couldn't blame the baby on him.  It all made sense to me.  It turns out that being preggers never played a part in the movie, much to my surprise, so I must have been completely wrong.  The funny thing is, I'm not the only one who thought that (it was another guy who mentioned it if that means anything).

The ending wraps up quickly and neatly and life is beautiful for everyone in the picture.  Sigh.