GIRLS TOWN (1996) (B+) - Three young actresses give lived-in performances in this indie gem about high school seniors in Queens coping with the suicide of their close friend as the school year comes to an end. Lili Taylor is the big name, but she is matched by Bruklin Harris and Anna Grace, whose careers would be short-lived.
Taylor is Patti, a goombah-accented teen mom; Harris is straight-talking Angela; and Grace is cynical Emma. They have a close bond with melancholy Nikki (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor from "King Richard" and "Origin"), whose pill overdose will evoke an unusual reaction from the other three, who analyze the emotional tendons of their relationships with each other and act out by committing petty crimes (involving retribution against exes).
All three share writing credit, and their workshopping and ad-libbing give the narrative a chatty authenticity. This feels like a true slice of life, a sly, angular take on the way in which a young person might cope with their first brush with death. The girls have favorite hangouts -- a ballfield dugout, a corner deli, the school bathroom -- and their baggy grunge duds. They also have a rapport that allows them to call each other out on their shit. Some of the best dialogue comes from brief one-on-ones with boys, with the girls confident enough to hold their own against their inferior rivals. One includes Michael Imperioli (Christopher on "The Sopranos"), who woos Patti, who is still beset by her baby-daddy (John Ventimiglia, Artie from "The Sopranos").
Taylor was pushing 30 by the time this came out, and one of the boys makes a meta reference to how old Patti looks. (The balding Ventimiglia was over 30 at the time.) Her accent -- borrowed a bit from Rosie Perez -- takes a bit of getting used to, but she pushes deep into her character and wins you over. Harris comes off as an intense Robin Givens, as Angela has few fucks to give. Grace, as Emma, does some heavy lifting emotionally. They are a potent team.
For a story that leans hard into sexual assault -- whether real or perceived, depending on each girl's point of view -- the overall vibe comes across as serious yet loose and life-affirming. The actresses' contributions are girded by a soundtrack Greek chorus by heavy hitters of the era -- Queen Latifah, P.J. Harvey, Luscious Jackson, Neneh Cherry and Salt-N-Pepa. Director Jim McKay was coming off a series of R.E.M. videos and would go on to a solid career in TV. Here, he takes a documentary-like approach, shooting on the grimy streets of Queens in all their graffitied glory.
You can't stream this anywhere, so look for a local screening of this restored document from the mid-'90s.
BONUS TRACKS
The loopy Luscious Jackson, live on "120 Minutes," with "Strongman":
Neneh Cherry, from 1992, "Somedays":
P.J. Harvey with the deep cut "Maniac":
And the melancholy anchor for the movie's climax, Queen Latifah touting "U.N.I.T.Y":
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