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A ‘For All Mankind’ Star’s Forgotten Comedy Is Officially on HBO Max
Many people may recognize the name Greta Gerwig as the brilliant mind behind the 2023 Barbie movie, or back in 2019, the beautiful Little Women adaptation, but before this, Gerwig actually made her name in the indie sphere as an actor. She’s a phenomenal director, but her acting roles are often overlooked, which is a surprise considering her notable contributions to the subgenre mumblecore, including the utterly raw and slice-of-life story of Frances Ha. Here, Gerwig would find her niche as the charming, awkward, and quirky everyday woman who is navigating the mundane realities of life, leading one of her most forgotten films in 2012, Lola Versus, alongside For All Mankind‘s Joel Kinnaman.
Greta Gerwig Roots Out the Messy Charm of Everyday Life in ‘Lola Versus’
In Lola Versus, Gerwig plays the titular character who just got dumped by her seemingly perfect boyfriend, Luke (Joel Kinnaman), three weeks before their wedding. In the devastating wake of their abrupt break-up, she attempts to reorganize her life through a myriad of casual flings while working on her dissertation. She goes through this limbo period with the support of her best friends, the zany Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones) and the ever-reliable Henry (Hamish Linklater), but like many romantic comedies, realizes that finding self-love via others may not be the best approach.
Like most of Gerwig’s characters, Lola is instinctively likable the moment you lay eyes on her, which is why the movie works. Her goofy smile, quiet wit, and fumbling interactions sum up her charm throughout the film, a regular woman you would meet in passing or identify with. As such, when Lola makes impulsive, questionable, and sometimes selfish decisions on her journey for autonomy and casual fun, it is difficult to judge her, and we find ourselves empathizing. Gerwig represents Lola in a way that can only be described as painfully human, filled with the messiness of acting out of a place of hurt and clouded by one’s own misery.
Sharing the screen is Kinnaman’s performance as the ex-fiancé who is a stand-in for the villain in every girl’s story — the guy who dumped her because he was confused and wanted to explore before committing — has the same slice-of-life nature as Gerwig’s performance. You want to hate Luke for it, but Kinnaman makes him just as messy and human as Lola. Kinnaman renders Luke sincere in his confusion, justified in his frustrations, and charming whenever the opportunity allows. What makes their run-ins refreshing is that they never indulge in too many clichés and have surprisingly grounded interactions of two exes trying to navigate the fallout. It creates the backbone of the film, allowing Lola’s main journey to make more of an impact.
‘Lola Versus’ Combines Slice-of-Life Relationship Drama With Comedy
That’s not to say the film is just jam-packed with poor decisions, as comedy and situational irony are littered around every corner of this truly millennial rendition of New York. From the “esoteric” artsy scene of aspiring theater majors to the sheer drama of bumping into your ex-boyfriend at your new boyfriend’s gig, there are relatable but hyperbolic versions of everyday encounters with humorous punchlines at the end. We also get a hilarious appearance from Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), who plays one of Lola’s rebounds with unnervingly wide eyes, an incubator, and rollerblades. It’s one of Lola’s strange decisions that earns a brilliant payoff — for the audience at least.
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Orbiting Lola’s storm is an equally charming and comedic cast, who provide refreshing takes on romantic comedy clichés. Alice is the supportive best friend who helps Lola break out of her shell while delivering comedic gems with a wry and sarcastic laugh. Meanwhile, Henry embodies the friend who may have been right for Lola all along, but by the end of the film, these two tropes get a subtle twist that feels more in line with the reality painted. But the standouts are the infrequent appearances of Lola’s parents, played charmingly by Debra Winger and Bill Pullman, who are people you’d dream of having in your corner as they approach her breakup with comfort and goofy wit.
Lola Versus doesn’t play out a story we haven’t seen before, but its cast gives the romantic comedy a normalcy that is rendered as fresh and comforting. With narrative beats that every millennial will recognize and Gerwig’s idiosyncratic performance as the driving force, it’s a film to cozy up to, especially if you’re a fan of the filmmaker. Before she ever hit big shots with high-grossing films, Gerwig appreciated the novelties of everyday adult life, capturing the beauty in the messiness all around us.
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