Girlhood

As a younger millennial on the verge of being Gen Z, Uptown Girls (2003), starring the late Brittany Murphy and a young Dakota Fanning, is one of the biggest and best surprises of all my recent first-time watches of female-led movies from the late 1990s and early 2000s, like Clueless (1995), Legally Blonde (2001), Crossroads (2002), and Mean Girls (2004). From Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning's stellar, charming lead performances to the emotionally profound, resonant themes of girlhood and growing up, and to this film's surprisingly mature, skilled direction, it became a new favorite for me. Without further ado, here is my spoiler-filled review of Uptown Girls.

This movie follows Molly Gunn (played by Brittany Murphy), a young woman living off the trust fund of her late rock star father, Tommy Gunn, in her colorfully eclectic Manhattan apartment, who, after her accountant embezzles her money, is left penniless and homeless. As a result, she has to find work and eventually becomes a nanny for the precocious, emotionally closed-off eight-year-old Lorraine "Ray" Schleine (played by Dakota Fanning). At first, their personalities clash, but over time, they form a unique emotional bond as they learn to embrace both the child and the adult in them, while confronting the heartbreaking realities of growing up.

Murphy's fun, lighthearted, graceful, yet emotionally vulnerable screen presence as Molly Gunn is unmatched. Molly's infectious personality, heart, and emotion are palpable, so much so that audience members like me can't help but cry when she does. Fanning brings to Ray an equally compelling emotional maturity and hidden vulnerability, making her the perfect foil and match for Molly's bubbly, outgoing nature. Yet in moments, Fanning conveys an intellectual wisdom beyond her years and a deeply hidden emotional yearning for human connection through her eyes that is genuinely moving to see in motion.

Both performances are standouts, but they shine brightest during the climactic Coney Island teacups scene, where Ray goes to escape the heartbreak of losing her comatose father shortly after making peace with him by speaking to him for the first time in years. Watching this scene is especially heartwrenching for me in hindsight, as a month after watching this film, my maternal grandfather passed away shortly before I was to head home after a visit to his and my maternal grandmother's house, so I completely relate to Ray's shock and disbelief at the sudden passing of a family member. The lack of dialogue between the two in this sequence, aside from the music and striking visuals, makes the scene all the more memorable and heartbreaking.

What gives Uptown Girls an edge over other female-led films from this era is how surprisingly well-written the screenplay is, and how well its themes of girlhood, growing up, and emotional maturity have aged, as evidenced by the large fanbase of millennials and Gen Z cinephiles who cite this movie as an early 2000s favorite. While films like Mean Girls are nostalgic favorites with millennials and Gen Z, some of Tina Fey's jokes about groups of people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds are problematic, to say the least.

Part of what has made this film age so well is director Boaz Yakin's sure-handed, emotionally engaging direction, evident in every frame and in every performance. In addition, Michael Ballhaus' lovely, filmic cinematography, along with the beautiful lighting and David Ray's immaculate editing, gives this movie an additional layer of timeless, analog, behind-the-camera skill that today's films genuinely lack.

Almost two decades after her untimely passing in 2009, fans and nostalgic millennials and Gen Z widely consider this movie Brittany Murphy's best-remembered picture. From her unrivaled talent, charm, charisma, and screen presence to the film's technical and thematic skill, it's deservedly so. Her performance is one of many reasons to love and admire Murphy for her lasting cinematic contributions to the entertainment world, all while wistfully imagining what projects she could have starred in if she were still here. Her all-too-short but memorable legacy lives on through her work, especially this movie, and I am glad that I finally got to witness it.

Final Score: 9 out of 10