Support the Girls is being sold as a lighthearted comedy, a funny workplace saga set in what's basically a fictional version of Hooters. That's.....not exactly the case. Yes, Andrew Buljaski's latest film is warm and amusing, often delivering humorous moments when you least expect them. But there's something much more interesting going on under the surface of this little indie dramedy, something that feels both deeply sad and fiercely angry. In many ways, this is a film about a world designed to make you scream from the rooftops, much like our characters do during the instantly iconic finale. When there's so much going wrong on a daily basis, what's more cathartic than letting out a primal scream for the world to witness?
Buljaski is observant and sensitive to the daily drudgery of working life, ultimately demonstrating an impressive understanding of co-worker camaraderie. Beyond its status as a slice of working-class realism, Support the Girls is a film about a woman who passionately cares about her job, her restaurant, her employees, their personal lives, and so much more. She can't catch a break in her own life, but that won't stop her boundless love for everyone else. And most of her employees know it. They're loyal to her, because she treats everyone right. Even if the rules in place say no, she'll do the right thing. It's too bad that her boss doesn't care, that the corporations don't care, that some people will forever be ungrateful for the personal touch she brings to a soulless and fundamentally empty world.
The woman in question is Lisa (Regina Hall), the manager of "family restaurant" called Double Whammies, known for beer, sports, and pretty girls. When we first meet Lisa, she's crying in her car. Why? Let's just say it hasn't been such a good evening. One of her employees was arrested for assault, which means Lisa spent the night bailing her out of jail. Though she has great partners in Maci (Haley Lu Richardson) and Danyelle (Shayna McHayle), the best of the Whammies waitress staff, this day proves to be continually stressful for Lisa.
A car wash fundraiser turns into a spectacle. The cousin of a fry cook is caught in the air vent, trying to steal money from the safe. The restaurant's owner (James Le Gros) is breathing down Lisa's neck, threatening to fire her (again). A waitress (AJ Michalka) gets a giant tattoo of Steph Curry. Nothing is going right for Lisa today.
The film is less concerned with a single story than it is with the avalanche of madness that represents daily life at Whammies. Even if Lisa's day is worse than usual, one gets the sense that these aren't exactly isolated incidents. Employees have found themselves in sticky situations before, and Lisa has always been there to clean up the mess. The restaurant has found its way into tough times, but who has always been there to fix things? You guessed it. In a way, Support the Girls creates a kind of everlasting link between a person and a place, arguing for a cosmic and karmic bond that can never be broken. Whammies needs Lisa as much as Lisa needs Whammies. And it's all because of the girls.
Especially in the frenetic, often playfully cringe-worthy first act, writer/director Buljaski presents the trials and tribulations of Whammies life as something of a comedic hurricane, mixing the handheld mockumentary style of other workplace comedies with a significantly less obtrusive storytelling approach. Unlike other shows or movies that tackle the lunacy of the modern working environment, Buljaski often shifts his lens to the quiet moments, finding introspection and longing in the midst of total chaos. The result is a funny experience with a creeping sense of profound sadness. It's not unlike the feeling of dread that percolates in so many modern horror movies- only this time it's existential anxiety rather than sheer terror.
Buljaski and his actors effortlessly create empathy for virtually every character (with the exception of Cubby, the impulsive, boorish owner of Whammies), whether they're a saint on Earth or a mess of flaws. Haley Lu Richardson is a scene-stealer as Maci, the veteran Whammies girl who keeps the place afloat when Lisa isn't around. Richardson rocketed to the top of the indie A-list with Kogonada's Columbus, and her tender, sugary sweet performance here ensures she'll stay there. Shayna McHayle is something of a revelation as Danyelle, who will stick by Lisa until the bitter end. And there are a number of funny supporting turns, from Lea DeLaria as a regular customer to Dylan Gelula as a Whammies trainee.
But it all flows back to Regina Hall; much like her character and the restaurant she loves, nothing in this movie would work without her. Hall's performance lacks even an air of ostentation or showiness. Instead, she roots every scene in the sort of infinite kindness that would be downright unthinkable for most people. Several excellent scenes come to mind. When she realizes that an employee was plotting to steal money from the company, she quietly pulls him aside, informing him that he needs to resign. He takes his apron off, but she tells him to put it back on and finish his last day. Later, she notes that she would always write a recommendation if he needed one. But don't let Lisa's kindness fool you. She's firm when she needs to be, like when she promptly kicks a nasty biker out of Whammies for harassing an employee.
Hall plays Lisa as a woman who is understanding in a way that most of us couldn't even fathom. She knows it's hard out there- money is tight, bad choices are made, nothing ever seems to go smoothly. But she knows the value of getting to know people, of developing relationships, of treating them like actual flesh-and-blood human beings. In a way, Buljaski has made a plea for humanity and empathy in the face of monolithic businesses who can discard human beings like garbage.
Here's the best example. In one of the final scenes, Lisa is speaking to a hiring manager (Brooklyn Decker) at a rival sports bar. The manager runs through the business practices, talking about all the usual stuff in an excited fashion. But when she talks about the girls, she emphasizes that they're not all that smart. They're pretty, yeah. But bright? No. You gotta talk down to them. Make sure they understand things. That's the only way to be a manager.
Hall's visage switches from a warm smile to a blank slate. Her eyes practically go dead. The look on her face says it all. And then she heads to the roof to scream.
THE FINAL GRADE: B+ (7.9/10)
Images courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Buljaski is observant and sensitive to the daily drudgery of working life, ultimately demonstrating an impressive understanding of co-worker camaraderie. Beyond its status as a slice of working-class realism, Support the Girls is a film about a woman who passionately cares about her job, her restaurant, her employees, their personal lives, and so much more. She can't catch a break in her own life, but that won't stop her boundless love for everyone else. And most of her employees know it. They're loyal to her, because she treats everyone right. Even if the rules in place say no, she'll do the right thing. It's too bad that her boss doesn't care, that the corporations don't care, that some people will forever be ungrateful for the personal touch she brings to a soulless and fundamentally empty world.
The woman in question is Lisa (Regina Hall), the manager of "family restaurant" called Double Whammies, known for beer, sports, and pretty girls. When we first meet Lisa, she's crying in her car. Why? Let's just say it hasn't been such a good evening. One of her employees was arrested for assault, which means Lisa spent the night bailing her out of jail. Though she has great partners in Maci (Haley Lu Richardson) and Danyelle (Shayna McHayle), the best of the Whammies waitress staff, this day proves to be continually stressful for Lisa.
A car wash fundraiser turns into a spectacle. The cousin of a fry cook is caught in the air vent, trying to steal money from the safe. The restaurant's owner (James Le Gros) is breathing down Lisa's neck, threatening to fire her (again). A waitress (AJ Michalka) gets a giant tattoo of Steph Curry. Nothing is going right for Lisa today.
The film is less concerned with a single story than it is with the avalanche of madness that represents daily life at Whammies. Even if Lisa's day is worse than usual, one gets the sense that these aren't exactly isolated incidents. Employees have found themselves in sticky situations before, and Lisa has always been there to clean up the mess. The restaurant has found its way into tough times, but who has always been there to fix things? You guessed it. In a way, Support the Girls creates a kind of everlasting link between a person and a place, arguing for a cosmic and karmic bond that can never be broken. Whammies needs Lisa as much as Lisa needs Whammies. And it's all because of the girls.
Especially in the frenetic, often playfully cringe-worthy first act, writer/director Buljaski presents the trials and tribulations of Whammies life as something of a comedic hurricane, mixing the handheld mockumentary style of other workplace comedies with a significantly less obtrusive storytelling approach. Unlike other shows or movies that tackle the lunacy of the modern working environment, Buljaski often shifts his lens to the quiet moments, finding introspection and longing in the midst of total chaos. The result is a funny experience with a creeping sense of profound sadness. It's not unlike the feeling of dread that percolates in so many modern horror movies- only this time it's existential anxiety rather than sheer terror.
Buljaski and his actors effortlessly create empathy for virtually every character (with the exception of Cubby, the impulsive, boorish owner of Whammies), whether they're a saint on Earth or a mess of flaws. Haley Lu Richardson is a scene-stealer as Maci, the veteran Whammies girl who keeps the place afloat when Lisa isn't around. Richardson rocketed to the top of the indie A-list with Kogonada's Columbus, and her tender, sugary sweet performance here ensures she'll stay there. Shayna McHayle is something of a revelation as Danyelle, who will stick by Lisa until the bitter end. And there are a number of funny supporting turns, from Lea DeLaria as a regular customer to Dylan Gelula as a Whammies trainee.
But it all flows back to Regina Hall; much like her character and the restaurant she loves, nothing in this movie would work without her. Hall's performance lacks even an air of ostentation or showiness. Instead, she roots every scene in the sort of infinite kindness that would be downright unthinkable for most people. Several excellent scenes come to mind. When she realizes that an employee was plotting to steal money from the company, she quietly pulls him aside, informing him that he needs to resign. He takes his apron off, but she tells him to put it back on and finish his last day. Later, she notes that she would always write a recommendation if he needed one. But don't let Lisa's kindness fool you. She's firm when she needs to be, like when she promptly kicks a nasty biker out of Whammies for harassing an employee.
Hall plays Lisa as a woman who is understanding in a way that most of us couldn't even fathom. She knows it's hard out there- money is tight, bad choices are made, nothing ever seems to go smoothly. But she knows the value of getting to know people, of developing relationships, of treating them like actual flesh-and-blood human beings. In a way, Buljaski has made a plea for humanity and empathy in the face of monolithic businesses who can discard human beings like garbage.
Here's the best example. In one of the final scenes, Lisa is speaking to a hiring manager (Brooklyn Decker) at a rival sports bar. The manager runs through the business practices, talking about all the usual stuff in an excited fashion. But when she talks about the girls, she emphasizes that they're not all that smart. They're pretty, yeah. But bright? No. You gotta talk down to them. Make sure they understand things. That's the only way to be a manager.
Hall's visage switches from a warm smile to a blank slate. Her eyes practically go dead. The look on her face says it all. And then she heads to the roof to scream.
THE FINAL GRADE: B+ (7.9/10)
Images courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
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