Ginger & Rosa

London in 1962: Teenagers Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert) have been best friends since they saw the light of day almost simultaneously. And that's a good thing, because together it is simply better to rebel against parents and other authorities. The girls dream of an independent life in which they are not constantly controlled by their mothers or have to go to school. Ginger's father, the writer Roland (Alessandro Nivola), is the epitome of this desire for freedom for the girls. True, as a father and husband, Roland is an absolute failure. But as a free-spirited fighter against the political establishment, he is an absolute idol, especially for Rosa. When the girl falls in love with her best friend's father and begins an affair with him, Ginger's own little cosmos finally collapses, while the rest of the world also seems to be moving inexorably towards the abyss in the face of the escalating Cuban crisis.

With her seventh feature, Ginger & Rosa, award-winning director Sally Potter has directed what is, at its core, a beautiful and moving story about friendship and growing up. Potter, who is not exactly known for easily accessible fare, has made the wise decision to set the film in a time when strong political movements and the ever-present fear of nuclear war have shaped people's lives. To show that a teenager's own very personal problems and fears can be much more significant than the surrounding social, societal and political problems, even in the face of a nuclear threat such as existed during the Cuban Missile Crisis, is an interesting starting point for a coming-of-age drama.

The problem, however, is that Potter leaves this good opportunity almost completely untapped, While the anti-nuclear political movement in which her father is active plays a role, ultimately the sense of a real threat from the Cuban Missile Crisis is never really felt. Instead, especially in the beginning, the story focuses on moments that seem kind of inconsequential and don't really make the characters seem sympathetic either. The story strives for authenticity and emotionality, but remains rather undercooled and not very involving.

Somewhat disturbing is also the acting of Elle Fanning, which is highly praised by many. The young actress has often demonstrated her talent, which is definitely there, but is usually most convincing when she exercises mimic restraint. Here, it almost seems like someone told her that it's so adorable when she really shines. And so she puts on this glow a bit too exaggeratedly and especially too often. It just doesn't seem natural anymore, it just seems strained. The same goes for her tantrums, which lack any form of subtlety. She still plays well, no question. But she comes across as too contrived, which is especially noticeable in a negative way when compared to Alice Englert's very accomplished performance.

As I said, the story Ginger & Rosa tells has the potential to be stirring and moving. But the unwieldy, arguably undercooked and somehow powerless production leaves very little of that potential at the end. And that is unfortunately, despite the existing qualities, only very conditionally worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp