Ginger & Rosa (2012) Directed by Sally Potter. Starring: Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Annette Bening. IMDB says: “A look at the lives of two teenage girls – inseparable friends Ginger and Rosa — growing up in 1960s London as the Cuban Missile Crisis looms, and the pivotal event the comes to redefine their relationship.”
The saying is true: Growing up is hard. I can already vouch for that and I don’t even feel like I’m done growing. But imagine growing up in 1960’s London, where the threat or war and more so complete annihilation is very real. That is the story for Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert,) two teen girls navigating not only the complications of their own life but also those of the world. Through the analogy of the Cold War, writer/director Sally Potter crafts a very specific coming of age story that also manages to stay somewhat relatable.
Introducing our two title leads, we see that the girls have been best friends since birth, thanks in part to their mothers, who were also close friends. Rosa’s father left when she was very young and growing up without a father brought with it a set of issues for the girl. She seems to be in a hurry to become and adult and as is often the case, seeks the attention and affection of the opposite sex. Ginger on the other hand, appears to take interest in more worldly issues and focuses intently on figuring out her future. While the two girls are the absolute best of friends, the movie itself is centered around Ginger’s character. At home, she struggles to find common ground with her mother Natalie (Christina Hendricks,) a housewife less interested in world affairs. Ginger instead gravitates towards her father Roland (Alessandro Nivola) a too-cool-for-school type character, once jailed for being a conscientious objector during World War II. Roland is alluring, especially to the young girls who find his poetic nature and deep musings on life to be admirable. Through the course of the film, all of the character’s flaws and motivations become clear to the audience even though Ginger grapples with what to make of it all.
Aesthetically, the movie is covered in muted hues and pastels. The lovely combination of the colors and setting was reminiscent of Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go with a dash of Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures. Potter’s camerawork is all over the place but not in an unfocused sort of manner. The compositions didn’t always hit the right note for me, but they were always interesting. There are beautiful landscapes shown throughout the film that make 1960’s London feel real. There is a coldness to the look of the film that reflects the tension of that time but also a magical, ethereal quality that mimics the unknowns of growing up. The mixture of landscapes paired well with the scenes from different family homes, complete with drabber color schemes and loads of stuff I’d be stoked to buy off Etsy.
The film’s biggest plus though is Elle Fanning. The tiny little actress has consistently nailed every role I’ve seen her in and brings a standout performance as Ginger. She handled the role with just the right amount of youth and complexity, making you truly root for her character. Most of the other characters aren’t quite as well rounded (notably the side characters played by Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt, & Annette Bening) but that can be chalked up to the brisk pacing.
As a whole, the film is well put together but ultimately lacked that little extra. I enjoyed the experience and Ginger’s story but there wasn’t any big takeaways that would make me want to revisit or really recommend the film. It’s a small and simple story and one you may enjoy but keeping your expectations just as small and simple will only help you in the end.
Ginger & Rosa opens in Baltimore area theaters Friday, April 5th.