MISTRESS AMERICA

(Directed by Noah Baumbach) Since 2013’s Frances Ha, Noah Baumbach has been focused on the generational divide between Generation X and Millennials. His newest film, Mistress America, completes a sort of thematic trilogy of youth (along with While We’re Young), by looking ahead at what’s to come. Mistress America is a splendid cap to this part of Baumbach’s career, and features a career-best turn from his co-writer and partner, Greta Gerwig. Gerwig is electric as Brooke, a whirlwind New York socialite. Just as impressive is newcomer Lola Kirke (sister of Girls’ Jemima Kirke) as Tracy, a college freshman at Columbia University, wide-eyed and green without being too precocious. The two women meet when Tracy learns her mother is engaged to Brooke’s father, and Brooke takes Tracy into the world of New York high society. From there, the differences between them are exposed in a comedy of errors. Mistress America is a modern screwball comedy, complete with a stagey, theatrical set piece that starts about halfway through the film and becomes hypnotic as it keeps going and going, blending vaudeville-style gags, biting class commentary, complex blocking and a hundred moving pieces. This is one of the great coming-of-age films, a splendid coda to his recent looks at the Millennial generation. Much as the film turns to the new school with a sense of optimism, it will be interesting to see where the creative partnership between Gerwig and Baumbach goes from here. (Fox Searchlight) BEN HARRISON