‘Two Girls’ Tells Story In Realistic, Believable Way

A film like “The Incredibly True Adventure Of Two Girls In Love” is a rarity in Hollywood. It’s a sweet, sensitive romance involving teenagers. It’s no wonder “Two Girls In Love” was made outside Hollywood, also because it’s about two girls in love.

The two girls of the title are two of the most interesting and engaging characters to grace movie screens in a long time. There’s Randy, who lives with her aunt, her aunt’s girlfriend, and her aunt’s ex-girlfriend. Randy refers to this as a “typically normal lesbo-house.”

Evie is a wealthy, sheltered teenager who does “normal” things like go to the mall and hang out with her fashion-conscious friends. On the surface, they seem like an unlikely match.

Randy and Evie meet one day when Evie pulls into the gas station run by Randy’s aunt. Evie isn’t put off like most people by Randy’s homosexuality, and soon the two become friends. Then, slowly, they become more than friends.

The love story here is gradual and realistic, and doesn’t have any of the hokey or sensational elements that are the main ingredient in “big” Hollywood films. The scene where Evie and Randy share their first kiss is well done. It’s obvious both are nervous and excited, and the scene isn’t overblown.

The camera work makes events seem real and not put-on. Much of the dialogue is presented in a matterof-fact manner without any close-ups, giving a sense of realism to the action. It’s refreshing to see a film that is not “overmade” like many bigbudget films. “Two Girls” seems to keep flashy filmmaking techniques at a minimum, but still has a style not present in most films.

The story is fueled by the stand-out performances of its two leads. As Randy, Laurel Hollomon gives a powerful performance. She brings her character’s loneliness, anger and frustration to the screen with a realistic edge. Although Hollomon has the tougher role, Nicole Parker (Evie) shines in hers. Her transformation from one of the popular crowd to her own person is chronicled nicely.

The strongest point of “Two Girls” is the direction and story. Maria Maggenti is responsible for both. She keeps the story moving smoothly and the technical aspects unobtrusive. She’s also saddled “Two Girls” with a great soundtrack (any movie that plays Bratmobile is cool).

But the film does lose some ground in the end. The only thing wrong with it is that Maggenti felt a need to have every character with a line be present. Although the climax is a little overdone, the last shot ends the movie perfectly. The differences between “The Incredibly True Adventure Of Two Girls In Love” and most other mainstream films are plentiful (“Two Girls” is a well done film about teens, the teens are lesbians, their relationship is interracial), but that’s only part of the film’s attraction. The talent behind and in front of the camera is excellent.

The only detractors are the climax and the title (the last four words are the only part that has anything to do with the movie). But everything else is wonderful, making this one of the easiest films of the summer to recommend.

Grade: A