3 gibbles out of 5

Director: Lena Dunham

Movies about nothin’.  Kids make ’em, we watch ’em.  Who can say why?  Except that we have a good history of nothin’ in our culture inspiring something, so documenting the nothing times surely has value.  But, admittedly, I’m not sure if I’ve seen an ‘about nothin’ ‘ flick that’s been truly compelling.  Often they are very watchable – Tiny Furniture is very watchable – but what’s gained generally relies on something personal that’s either been experienced or being experienced that is in line with what’s depicted.

There are people who will “feel” Lena Dunham’s story, which is a privileged kid’s Dazed & Confused moved to post-College.  Certainly the general emotion of wandering without purpose is one we’ve all mostly felt.  There will be just as many who will raise their nose to this, though.  Rightfully so?  It’s not my place to say.  Thankfully, Dunham’s story and presentation of it are without a tone of ‘woe is me,’ and so despite her you-could-call-it-easy life, there’s a plain honesty here that makes it approachable.

So we’re back from college, we’re living with mum in New York, we’re not a model, we’re trying to figure out what to do with our major while we flit from low-paying job to low-paying job, just trying to find some glimmer of the direction that’s led us thus far.  “Tiny Furniture” is this from Lena’s point of view.  It stars her actual mom as her mom, her actual sister as her sister, their actual house as the house.  Some of it is funny, some of it is not.  It’s rarely depressing, though, which is good, and it doesn’t feel aimless in its presentation – there is a sense that Lena is showing us however much of things she wants to show us.

But it’s about nothing, as life often is.  I can’t say I overly liked Tiny Furniture – despite the intelligence of opening up what could be a narrow point of view I don’t know if this will be effective for anyone who isn’t a girl of Lena’s age going through similar issues.  But as mentioned it’s watchable.  It’s real without being degrading or whiny, and smart about being smart so that it balances just on the precipe of accepting that college educations only mean so much.  You don’t feel root for against anyone, you just get to watch, as (someone else’s) life passes by, moment by moment.  Your cup of tea?  It may not be anyone’s, but it has to be a choice so that the other flavors have a baseline for comparison.

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