The modern dating scene is a harrowing place—particularly for women who find themselves seeking heterosexual partnerships with men. Dating apps of the 21st century intersecting with misogynist ideals from a past time can make it feel like we’re all trudging through mud. There seems to be a constant misunderstanding of one other. Instead of communicating effectively, we continue to walk in circles. Most single women find the experience utterly exhausting. Unfortunately, cinema hasn't made it much better when it comes to how women are portrayed when it comes to breakups.
Thankfully— Peter Ambrosio's new film, Sunday Girl, offers a unique and mostly refreshing perspective. The movie follows Natasha (Dasha Nekrasova), an introverted artist who finds herself keeping company with five different men. Though each man has his merits (for the most part) —Natasha decides she wants to have a real shot at a relationship with her on-again, off-again boyfriend — George (Brandon Stacy).
On one particular day, dressed in a bold red coat with matching flats —Natasha sets off to break up with her four "extra" men. In letting go of these other attachments, Natasha hopes to clear a real path for her relationship with George. What ensues next is what makes much of Ambrosio's film such a standout in films that center romance. Too often, films position women as hysterical people who can't deal with the fall out of broken relationships. However, in Sunday Girl, the tables are turned.
It's mesmerizing to watch Natasha break up with each guy. From Victor (Bilar Mir), a poet who is absolutely tortured by Natasha's dismissal of him -- to Winston (Morgan Roberts), who literally cannot handle the news that Natasha has been seeing other people. Watching these varied and nuanced reactions from men is almost unheard of in cinema. However, when the film is not focused on the breakups — it stumbles.
Using a non-linear timeline, Sunday Girl unpacks the events leading up to Natasha's day of breakups while fleshing out the world around her. We learn about her work as an artist and the pseudo creepy boss who seems intent on bringing her on a business trip to Rome with him. Yet, none of this tells us anything real about Natasha.
By offering such small slivers of her life, Natasha's motives when it comes to relationships become hazy. It becomes quite clear that though she wears an armor of courage —sunglasses, and cigarettes to boot, Natasha lacks any true self-confidence. This was a rather disappointing revelation to the audience after watching a woman who appears from the first frame of the film to know exactly what she wants.
To that end, George —the man that Natasha is making all of these changes for certainly isn't worth the effort. He's withholding, dull, and quite frankly the worst. There's really no explanation as to why Natasha decides to make things permanent with George other than the fact that his aloofness appears to be a challenge for her
Though Nekrasova's performance Is quirky and compelling, Sunday Girl never really lives up to its full potential. When Natasha is seen despondent and drunk dialing on Valentine's Day, shoving aside both her work obligations and other plans she could have partaking in —she becomes much less of a hero and more of a typical rom-com character.
Sunday Girl just finished a limited theatrical run in New York City and Los Angeles.
Images: Cresmont Pictures