Harper Sloane (Sarah Polley) is a naive unhappy 20 year old going to Harvard. She meets wedding photographer Connie Fitzpatrick (Stephen Rea) at her sister's wedding. He seduces her calling her Guinevere. She lies to her family that she didn't get into Harvard. She pretends to stay with her friend Patty (Carrie Preston) but instead she's living with Connie. Billie (Gina Gershon) warns her that she's only the latest Guinevere in Connie's life. She leaves him temporarily but she feels stifled by her mother (Jean Smart) and she returns to him.
Sarah Polley is lovely and Stephen Rea is believable. Jean Smart overplays the mother figure a little but she gets one memorable scene. I like this movie up to that scene where the mother talks about Harper being inexperienced enough to be in awe of Connie. I guess writer/director Audrey Wells is trying to be poetic by forcing Harper to stay with Connie after that. The self denial of Harper when she's talking to Patty is off-putting. She needs to make a more calibrated turn earlier but instead it's all saved up for the climax.
Sarah Polley is lovely and Stephen Rea is believable. Jean Smart overplays the mother figure a little but she gets one memorable scene. I like this movie up to that scene where the mother talks about Harper being inexperienced enough to be in awe of Connie. I guess writer/director Audrey Wells is trying to be poetic by forcing Harper to stay with Connie after that. The self denial of Harper when she's talking to Patty is off-putting. She needs to make a more calibrated turn earlier but instead it's all saved up for the climax.