Do Your Worst

One of the worst problems in romcoms is the 'quirky' heroine - inevitably a perfect person with one or two so called flaws introduced just to make her more relatable. In contrast, Sondra, the protagonist here, is flat out terrible. She seems self obsessed and self deluded at the same time - it's a tribute to the lead actress's skill and charm that she makes Sondra somewhat likeable or atleast someone you can root for. I also liked the relationship between Sondra and Carla, low-key toxic though it is. Like a real life friendship, they love each other deeply but loathe each other at times. They feed into each other's energy and are similarly self obsessed - it was interesting to me that Carla forgives Sondra so fast, because I think the director wanted to show that they are each other's companions and sisters for life. Their relationship is flawed but strong. There are many things the director's underlined in the film - how letting go and planning your life afresh after a certain age is difficult, parental anxieties and tantrums, how temporary fame can spoil your life in the longterm. There's a vulnerability in the underlying message. I wish they had not gone through the compulsory happy ending but shown how Sondra accepts her life instead. I think the idealized ending took away from the impact of the film somewhat.

One of the worst problems in romcoms is the 'quirky' heroine - inevitably a perfect person with one or two so called flaws introduced just to make her more relatable. In contrast, Sondra, the protagonist here, is flat out terrible. She seems self obsessed and self deluded at the same time - it's a tribute to the lead actress's skill and charm that she makes Sondra somewhat likeable or atleast someone you can root for. I also liked the relationship between Sondra and Carla, low-key toxic though it is. Like a real life friendship, they love each other deeply but loathe each other at times. They feed into each other's energy and are similarly self obsessed - it was interesting to me that Carla forgives Sondra so fast, because I think the director wanted to show that they are each other's companions and sisters for life. Their relationship is flawed but strong. There are many things the director's underlined in the film - how letting go and planning your life afresh after a certain age is difficult, parental anxieties and tantrums, how temporary fame can spoil your life in the longterm. There's a vulnerability in the underlying message. I wish they had not gone through the compulsory happy ending but shown how Sondra accepts her life instead. I think the idealized ending took away from the impact of the film somewhat.