Andrew Bujalski’s heartfelt comedy begins with a new employee training at a Hooters-style Texas restaurant, where general manager Lisa (Regina Hall) skips past the first posted rule—“NO DRAMA!”—to emphasize rule number two: “Be responsible.” But as the endlessly sympathetic, protective boss of scantily clad young women, Lisa can’t help but try to put out everyone’s fires, both professional and personal, all while cheerfully advocating for sisterhood among them and resolutely demanding that the customers respect them. In spite of her efforts, Lisa must also navigate various mishaps that compromise her staff and herself, and over the course of one particularly challenging day her steadfastness is put to the test. Regina Hall won the New York Film Critics Circle’s Best Actress award for her nuanced, resonant performance in one of this year’s funniest, most refreshing and surprisingly feminist films. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Support the Girls. 2018. USA. Directed by Andrew Bujalski. 93 min.