A new series I wanted to pursue on this blog is the Hidden Gems series. These are movies that I have found, thoroughly enjoyed, and think more people should know about. The whole point of writing the movie section of the blog is to increase cinematic awareness of people in my life. This involves getting people to view movies they typically would not view for the sake of personal expansion. The first movie in this series is called All About Nina.
All About Nina follows Nina Geld, (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) an acerbic and foul-mouthed female comic. Think early Louis C.K. in style of comedy. Nina's life is dominated by her poor decision making and guarded existence. This all changes when she meets Rafe (Common) a down-to-earth L.A. native. Nina's viewpoints are challenged and upended by Rafe's calm yet assertive attitude.
One thing this film does well is portray mental health conditions well. Nina has a certain mental disorder that will go unnamed for spoilers sake. Mary Elizabeth Winstead encapsulates this disorder brilliantly from her forceful brashness to the broken intimacy. Her performance is reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman's in Lenny, where Hoffman plays controversial comic Lenny Bruce. The caustic comedic style is hilarious within the film. Yet the fragile sense of femininity is what makes Winstead's work so important and enthralling. Typically when we think of great actors, Common isn't one of the names we think of first. Yet he gives such a grounded and honest presence to screen that you can't help but root for.
What All About Nina understands is the broken members of society, and how they interact and live. Growing up around these people, and working with them gives me the experience to write about this. The film's message is that everyone, even the most "unlovable" people, are deserving of love and affection. The film is jagged and painful, while being charming and convicting. The ability of a film to give a viewer a full range affect is monumentally difficult, especially in a character study. Writer/director Eva Vives somehow pulls this off. Winstead has been in independent and studio films for years now, but this movie gives her the first real role where she is given a showcase for her unbelievable talent. All About Nina premiered quietly at Tribeca, and it baffles me that it was lost during awards season. It was monumentally better than half of the movies nominated for Oscars this past year. All About Nina is one of the better films I have recently seen, and I highly recommend. The movie is available for streaming of Netflix now.
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