Beginners

An introverted man burdened by a difficult relationship with his father meets an eccentric woman with stability issues. Not unlike Paul and Holly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, although they may be a good match, they just might pass each other by. Director Mike Mills multiplies increasingly tangled dilemmas and ably holds the tension until their denouement. Genially funny and deadly serious in equal proportions, Beginners looks at relationships with the empathy of a Richard Linklater and the poetry of a Cédric Klapisch. What makes Mill’s film an original standout is its wholly genuine charm. Beginners is resplendent with the music of Josephine Baker and, among other touches, the thoughtful set design incorporates vintage Polish film posters. Although beginnings may be difficult, the warm atmosphere in which they are set signals a plentiful measure of hope.