Broken English

I got around to Netflixing the movie Broken English this weekend, and I was really touched by the story of Nora (the always fabulous Parker Posey), a lovelorn thirtysomething living in New York City. Single and unsatisfied, the first half of the movie courts your sympathies for Nora and the loneliness she's experiencing in many parts of her life.

The realization struck me hard about halfway through Broken English: Parker Posey isn't Party Girl anymore. She hasn't been Party Girl for years, of course, and the roles she's taken have evolved steadily from neurotic 20-somethings to neurotic 30-somethings. But in Broken English, I saw for the first time that Posey and her characters are adults now — a little less hopeful, a little more world-weary, a lot more afraid of the idea that this could be the best life gets.

Posey plays Nora Wilder, a chronically single 30-something who once dreamed of an art career but ended up as the guest relations director at a boutique hotel. In the name of "putting herself out there," she launches into a series of bad dates — one with a famous actor who later tells a Hollywood news program he's dating his costar; another with a sad sack of a man who can't get over his ex. Then, at an almost laughably bad party thrown by a coworker, Nora meets Julien (Melvil Poupaud), who's sweet, attentive, romantic — and about to return to Paris. Julien encourages Nora to run away to Paris with him, and she's too practical (or too self-sabotaging, or too scared) to go. But at the urging of a friend, she ultimately takes off for the romantic city, in search of a fantasy of love. That's just the skeleton, so to hear more of what I thought, read more

Yay, how cute is the premiere of Broken English!? Sorry, sometimes I get a little excited about Parker Posey, Sofia Coppola, and Drea de Matteo -- so when they're all together it's pretty awesome. The movie they're out to celebrate looks pretty seriously precious and funny and endearing, too. Everything about this (other than Drea's dress, but she's pregnant, so she gets a bye) just makes me feel all fuzzy and indie-loving. And I mean that in the best way possible.

To see more pics of the event just read more

Broken English first caught my eye when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year because it stars one of the greatest film actresses out there (Parker Posey), and because it was written and directed by a lady (Zoe Cassavetes). Since then, I've just been waiting for it to come out, and this Friday the wait is over. Originally, it looked like a comedy — and was billed as such — but now, having seen the trailer I'm not so sure. It looks a lot like a romantic drama with some moments of funny thrown in, but you can see for yourself.

Posey stars as 30-something Nora whose mother keeps urging her to "settle down." When an intriguing Frenchman enters her life, Nora decides to move to Paris in the pursuit of love and happiness (or, as one French man pronounces it in the trailer, "ah-peeness"). I really can't wait to see this movie now that I've watched the sweet-looking trailer, so to check it out, read more