Girlfriends (1978) is a buried treasure of independent cinema whose influence was touted awhile back by Lena Dunham (who held a revival screening and hired director Claudia Weill to helm an episode of Girls). It also feels like the inspiration to filmmakers like Nicole Holofcener, Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, etc as it is about neurotic characters in New York. However, in comparison to those later indie films, Girlfriends feels more empathetic and observational, maybe because its characters are more likeable (as well as charting the vibe of late 1970s New York). We’re introduced to roommates photographer Susan Wineblatt (Melanie Mayron) and writer Anne Munroe (Anita Skinner) in a few vignettes before Anne drops the hammer on Susan – she’s getting married and moving out. As a result, we follow Susan dealing with the separation of their friendship, living alone and trying to find work as a photographer. Mayron is so great – awkward but personable, good humoured yet sad – and is supported by a mix of young (at the time) actors like Christopher Guest and Bob Babalan as well as older actors like Eli Wallach (particularly good as a kindly yet conflicted rabbi) and Kenneth McMillan. Beginning as a short film and independently produced to a feature film over several years, later released by Warner Brothers, Girlfriends is a great portrait of female friendship in crisis and of feeling lost in the big city. Recommended.
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