Princess Cyd

2017 • 96 minut

Informacje o filmie

High school athlete Cyd Loughlin lives alone with her depressive father in South Carolina, perpetually longing to get away from it all. When her aunt, famous novelist Miranda Ruth, agrees to host her for a few weeks during the summer, Cyd jumps at the opportunity. Arriving in Chicago, the curious, earthbound Cyd begins to sense her vulnerability as she encounters points-of-view different from her own. Cyd discovers that her aunt is more interested in literature, Christian theology and food than romance and sexuality, while Miranda realizes her niece is operating in a different register, embracing body over soul, and hungry as hell. After a jog one afternoon, Cyd meets the strikingly androgynous Katie. Days later, Cyd finds herself in Katie's apartment, where she meets Katie's brother and his strange friend Tab, who seems to take a provocative, potentially dangerous liking to his friend's sister. Meanwhile, Miranda has an increased sensitivity to the attraction felt from her best friend, African-American author and journalist Anthony James. During one of Miranda's monthly soirees, her closest friends from academia and church come over to celebrate each other, Cyd meets a dreamy young man named Ridley, who attempts to sweep her up. Struggling to navigate these complicated feelings, Cyd yields to his flirtations. At the same time, Katie, left alone with Tab at her apartment, increasingly senses trouble. Later that night, Miranda and Cyd stealthily rescue Katie from violence, and she ends up back home with Miranda and Cyd, safe. As the days press on, Miranda, Cyd and Katie form a special bond, eventually gathering with Anthony at a block party. As the two dynamics meld into one colorful and complex modern quartet, they each find themselves transformed by this stretch of summer, challenged to continue living in their evolution even as they part ways.

Oceny i opinie

First of all, you don't even need to watch the movie. The description explains the entire thing to you. Secondly, this movie is all over the place. I couldn't tell you for the life of me what the plot of this film is supposed to even be. Its a jumbled mess. When you first meet Cyd she comes off across as small-minded and has the stereotypical teenage mindset revolving around romance and sex. The movie wastes no time delving right into Katie and Cyd's relationship, though the beginning is quite a drag. Miranda's lines are too focused on literature and nothing more, as Cyd's is around love. This film is overall nothing special. Also, in some technical aspects there were a few audio issues. I made sure it wasn't my technology and rather the fault of production quality. At times the audio transitions to sounding like they're talking inside of an empty room somewhere off camera, seemingly due to mic issues.

While not a perfect film, the characters and setting linger. It's a nice place to visit with characters that say a lot and say even more when they aren't saying anything. It's awkward, careful, lush with dialogue that gives the actors things to say, to do, to connect. The lesbian story line is important but not the main thing as these characters discover themselves over a summer. Nothing really "happens" and yet everything that does happen by the end will linger with a pleasant smile on your face. Definitely worth watching.

Princess Cyd is kind of coming of age story, but not one you may typically think of. Not only is the story of Cyd getting a glimpse into the world of being an adult, but also figuring out what she likes, how she likes it, and who she may like doing it with. There is also Aunt Miranda’s story. What does it mean to get older? What kind of struggles happen later in life? The film is not your typical linear run of the mill story nor does it have an obvious plot. I think you have to look around the events that happen and see how they affect the characters versus the characters causing or responding to the events. It is unique in the way that the story is told and breaks the mold much like how great fiction novels break their understood or typical mold. Film doesn’t always need to be this big flashy thing. There doesn’t need to be an eye-opening lesson learned or a profound message. Sometimes, a film just needs to show you a different life, a different experience.