Get Your Reps In: This Week, We’re Highlighting Down-To-Earth Dramadies

These five dialogue-driven picks illustrate how subtlety can be a strength in and of itself.

Movie - Smooth Talk (International Spectrafilm / Everett)

While local rep theaters are out of commission, we’ll be putting together weekly watchlists of films readily available to stream. This week, we’re highlighting down-to-earth, dialogue-driven dramedies that illustrate how subtlety can be a strength in and of itself.

Funny Ha Ha (2002)

Marnie is 23, stuck in that post-grad rut, ping-ponging between different temp jobs and crushing on her friend Alex even though he loves someone else. Shot on 16 mm and cited as the first mumblecore film in the canon, Andrew Bujalski’s naturalistic dramedy demonstrates how the seemingly trivial issues of being a 20-something can still feel monumental. Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Fandor, Google Play, Kanopy, Mubi, Vudu, YouTube.

Smooth Talk (1985)

Laura Dern shines in her feature film debut, based on the acclaimed Joyce Carol Oates short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Set during a sweltering summer, Dern plays a rebellious 15-year-old who is constantly flirting with disaster (i.e., boys)—until she unintentionally attracts the attention of a dangerously smooth-talking older man (Treat Williams). Criterion Channel.

The Color Wheel (2011)

After JR (Carlen Altman) breaks up with her older professor boyfriend, she enlists her brother Colin (Alex Ross Perry, who also directs) to accompany her on a road trip and help her move out. Featuring rapid-fire dialogue and 16 mm black-and-white cinematography, this highly polarizing dramedy about highly dysfunctional people culminates in a shocking 10-minute take. Apple TV, Fandor, Google Play, iTunes, Kanopy, Mubi, Vudu, YouTube.

Girlfriends (1978)

Before Girls and Greta Gerwig probed the highs and lows of New York City women and their relationships, there was Claudia Weill’s dramedy Girlfriends. When her best friend moves out of their apartment to live with her boyfriend, photographer Susan grapples with her newfound loneliness as well as her Jewish identity. Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Criterion Channel, Google Play, Hulu, Sling TV, Vudu, YouTube.

Princess Cyd (2017)

When freewheeling 16-year-old Cyd stays with her novelist aunt for the summer, the pair inspire and challenge each other to grow, both creatively and personally. A heartwarming dramedy about how having a lesbian niece can and will change your life for the better. Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Hulu, Kanopy, Vudu, YouTube.

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