By Robert Yaniz Jr.

DAY 31 OF THE 2018 HOLIDAY BINGE

Consumer culture is taken to task for its inherent sexism in this heartfelt, all-too-real comedy/drama.

THE HYPE

Regina Hall first popped up on my radar way back in Scary Movie, and despite the insanely broad material that franchise dealt her, there’s a reason why she was the only holdover besides star Anna Faris when the series changed hands. Whether she’s aiming for laughs or tapping into her dramatic range, Hall brings an air of authenticity that makes her easy to root for and empathize with. So it’s no surprise that her work in director Andrew Bujalski’s new film, Support the Girls, has been the subject of such critical acclaim.

THE STORY

Hall stars as Lisa, the general manager of an independent, Hooters-esque sports bar. Although her goal is ostensibly to simply keep the customers and staff happy, Lisa — much like her portrayer — pours her heart and soul into her often-thankless job. Taking place over the course of a single day, Support the Girls chronicles the self-sacrifices she makes as the mother-hen to a team of impressionable young women. The film serves, yes, as a working-class slice of life for the character but also offer ample social commentary.

THE CAST

As alluded, Hall is pitch-perfect as the long-suffering GM of an establishment fueled by intrinsic sexism. It would be easy for Lisa to walk away from the suggestively named Double Whammies, but she just cares too much about the makeshift family she’s formed there, to her own detriment. Chief among them are  Haley Lu Richardson’s Maci and Shayna McHayle’s Danyelle. Richardson builds on the promising talent she’s shown in films like The Edge of Seventeen and Split, and McHayle makes a solid first impression in her film debut.

THE PRODUCTION

From top to bottom, Support the Girls is stripped of most of the stylish flourishes that would remind viewers that they are watching a fictional story play out. And it’s this aesthetic that so deftly highlights the weight of Bujalski’s script. Lisa’s story feels both personal and symptomatic of a larger problem, specifically within American society. There are laughs to be found, but Support the Girls never sacrifices the reality and universality of its setting or its premise to retrieve them.

THE VERDICT

As one of 2018’s most under-seen gems (the film reportedly earned just over $129,000 in its theatrical run — ouch), Support the Girls is exactly the kind of film we need more of. Putting our everyday life under a microscope is something that film does perhaps better than any other artistic medium, and while superhero epics (ahem) and flashy musicals (ahem x 2) are great fun, it’s up to Support the Girls and its ilk to open our eyes to the internal lives of the people we encounter in real life, even when we’re stopping to watch the game.

Support the Girls stars Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James Le Gros, AJ Michalka, Dylan Gelula, Shayna McHayle, Lea DeLaria, Jana Kramer, and Brooklyn Decker and is directed by Andrew Bujalski.