A raucous 2nd act makes up for a slow start in this Noah Baumbach film about two young women in various stages of crisis (Lola Kirke as a college freshman struggling to adjust and Greta Gerwig as her eccentric and impetuous older stepsister). Baumbach never shies away from flawed characters, but I found this set of narcissists and backstabbers particularly grating at times. But as the film shifts to a Connecticut mansion, Mistress America finds its identify as a screwball comedy with an extended set piece that fires on all cylinders. At its best, this is an enjoyable throwback to farcical comedies of the past, even if it doesn’t pack the emotional punch of a Frances Ha. Features a great score.
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