Directed by Andrew Bujalski
Country: USA
If American writer/director Andrew Bujalski had deserved my appreciation with the idiosyncratic comedy Computer Chess, then he destroyed a considerable portion of my belief in his style with Support The Girls, a misfire with some heart.
Regina Hall is Lisa Conroy, the committed, attentive, and super friendly general manager of Double Whammies, the 'sports bar with curves' ran by Cubby (James Le Gros), a thankless and erratic imbecile. The first rule to work in the bar was stipulated as ‘no drama’, but in the face of a series of difficulties, Lisa is about to burst into tears. In addition to the constant tension at work, where she does everything to protect the ‘girls’, her marital life is far from serene.
With an undernourished plot and inefficient storytelling, Bujalski ends up portraying a reality that is poor in fascination. The stakes of the premise simply aren’t enough to carry this story, thus, the best you will get is Hall’s genuine performance, and Bobo (Lea DeLaria), a quite curious character who should have had more time to shine. And as if things weren't short enough, the film ends with an uninspired, sappy tone that feels more overwrought than liberating.
