Untogether (2019) – Summary, Review (with Spoilers)
Untogether avoids the sisterhood you’d want to see develop for them to deal with their older boyfriends, and possibly their daddy issues.
Untogether avoids the sisterhood you’d want to see develop for them to deal with their older boyfriends, and possibly their daddy issues.
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| Director(s) | Emma Forrest | |
| Written By | Emma Forrest | |
| Date Released | 2/8/2019 | |
| Genre(s) | Romance, Drama | |
| Good If You Like | Seeing Young Women With Older Men
Women Working On their Issues Through The Men They Date |
|
| Isn’t For You If You | Are Hoping To Understand The Sisterhood Seen In The Movie | |
| Noted Cast | ||
| Tara | Lola Kirke | |
| Andrea | Jemima Kirke | |
| David | Billy Crystal | |
| Martin | Ben Mendelsohn | |
| Nick | Jamie Dornan | |
Untogether Plot Summary
23-year-old Tara and her sister Andrea pseudo-live together and while sisters, seemingly didn’t grow up together with their shared father – a man who has been dead for a year. In fact, the father Tara knew is spoken of as a complete opposite to the trash individual Andrea knew. But, both work through their daddy issues in their own way. Tara, who misses her father dearly, works through her issues by pursuing older men, including a rabbi named David, and Andrea? Well, she deals with men who are as unavailable as her father was.
All the while, they don’t really talk to each other about their issues because, why would sisters who basically live together do that?
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Highlights
Andrea
Andrea, at first, could come off like she intends to be an enigma. However, as we get to know her, you come to the realization she only comes off as an enigma because most of the people in her life don’t try to understand her. Well, except Martin. Which creates a weird thing between the two.
But, that is also the allure of Andrea. No matter which character she interacts with, she draws you in and eclipses them in the process. Which isn’t to say Jemima Kirke makes for a lousy scene partner but more so speaks to how the other characters are written in comparison. If not how their presence compares to hers.
Criticism
How Did This Sisterhood Come To Be?
While Tara and Andrea have a relationship, the film focuses on pretty much anything besides that. Which is to the detriment of the film for with their lives parallel because of their father, it makes us not getting to see and understand their upbringing suck. Never mind, assuming they didn’t grow up together, how did they meet and how do they reconcile having two completely different views of their father? Questions which remains unanswered for they are more worried about the men in their lives.
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On The Fence
The Men & Tara
Men who, honestly, aren’t that much of a draw. Don’t get me wrong, Billy Crystal as David has his moments, but not to the point I could sell you to watch the film just because of him. But, in his defense, the men are just not made to be notable figures. Though, if we’re honest, Tara isn’t either. While Jemima at least has that something which draws you in, Lola, as also seen in Gemini, might be a talented actress, but doesn’t have that oomph to make her someone to follow.
Hence her being lopped in with the men, for even with her daddy issues, that she is working through in scenes with Crystal and Mendelsohn, you don’t get a selling point. You just get a few recognizable names who may have helped with funding, but don’t lead to recommendations for viewing Untogether.
Overall: Mixed (Divisive)
Untogether is the kind of film which has a wonderful plot staring right at it, but it does everything but address what could be interesting. Hence the mixed label for while Jemima Kirke gives us a character you want to delve into, and which could have boosted her sister’s role, they rarely talk about their shared father and instead focus on the men in their life. Men who, for the most part, are reliant on them to be noteworthy and when it comes to Tara, she gives neither Crystal nor Mendelsohn the boost they need. Thus leaving you bored and waiting for Tara and Andrea to have conversations, but ending up disappointed when the focus is solely about the men they are dating, want to date, or are f***ing.
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Untogether Ending Commentary (with Spoilers)
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Was The Twist Or Conclusion Good?
Not really. After Nick being an utter douche to Andrea for most of the movie, with her even saying she likes him and him saying that made him like her less, them ending up together was unfortunate. Especially since her leaving when it was clear he wasn’t open to a relationship seemed like her showing she grew since her last relationship and wasn’t for toxic substances or people in her life anymore.
Also, with Tara going after Martin, it continued the idea that perhaps both her relationships with Martin and what she tried to have with David, all stemmed from daddy issues. Which, with Andrea and Tara not talking to each other about their dad much, acted as another reminder that we never got to hear how these two women came to this point in their life, never mind reconciled having two completely different men as their father. Well, at least different in terms of the stage he was at in life.
Is A Sequel Possible?
Considering we didn’t see Tara and Martin makeup, there could be, but it’s unlikely to happen.
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How Does It Play Into The Overall Rating?
Heavily. This film, if it just addressed the different man Andrea had growing up compared to Tara, could have been so much better. Not to say the film had to cut the men, but with the actresses who played Tara and Andrea being real-life sisters, that could have been played up more and used to boost their performances. That is, rather than avoid using that connection and making their relationship something largely sidestepped.
