Ginger and Rosa

It is 1962 and these BFFs are seventeen. Ginger’s father is the worst sort of “idealist:” one who rejects all the rules of society, especially the ones that are inconvenient for him. Iconoclast, non-conformist, pacifist, he went to gaol rather than even drive an ambulance or be a medic in the war with Hitler, which is admirable in my book. But when Rosa begins to fall for him, he lets it happen, and even gets her pregnant. As you might expect, this is tough on poor Ginger. Elle Fanning, Dakota’s little sister, is very good, as is Alice Englert in her first movie. You would never know Elle is a Yank and Alice is a Kiwi. There is excellent supporting work by Timothy Spall, Annette Bening, and Oliver Platt. It’s a small film, but an enjoyable one.