Very Good Girls (2013)

Very Good Girls feels special because it treats that fragile in-between moment—when childhood ends and adulthood hasn’t quite begun—with real tenderness instead of cheap shock. Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen give sympathetic, lived-in performances that make their friendship feel like something you can’t help rooting for, even as it’s stretched by desire, jealousy, and the messy gravity of first choices. The movie has a breezy, bittersweet New York summer vibe, full of nostalgia and small emotional bruises, and it quietly deepens into a story about family bonds and the complicated ways we learn who we are. If you want a neat coming-of-age fable, it may feel a little raw and unresolved, but if you’re drawn to honest, intimate dramas, it’s an absorbing watch.

Very Good Girls is aiming for a tender, coming-of-age drama about friendship, first love, and the messy transition into adulthood in New York City. The problem is it often feels like it’s going through the motions: the screenplay is thin, the characters aren’t sharply drawn, and the central love triangle doesn’t land with much urgency or emotional truth. You may end up watching talented actors do their best with material that’s oddly bland and low-stakes, which makes the whole thing feel longer than it is. If you want a nuanced, punchy teen-to-adult story with real bite, this likely won’t satisfy—but if you’re in the mood for a low-key, pretty-looking indie vibe and don’t need much depth, you might tolerate it.