Film Review – Miss You Already
2 min read
“When life falls apart, friends keep it together”.
Best friends Jess (Drew Barrymore) and Milly (Toni Collette) couldn’t be anymore opposite; Jess is a community garden worker living with her boyfriend and struggling to get pregnant and Milly is at the top of her game with her rocker husband and two kids. An eternal bond since childhood, Jess and Milly live through each other, sharing each other memories. But when the worse moments in life hit you, friendship is the only thing that can keep them together.
On the surface, Miss You Already seems to be the typical chick flick, however, it transcends the genre by delving deeper into the connection that these female best friends share. After Milly receives her cancer news, Jess’ life seems to be heading upward; finding out she’s pregnant, news she can’t seem to tell her best friend amidst the sorrow. Dealing with love and sorrow, the two best friends help each through the ups and downs of life. Based on her award-winning BBC Radio 4 play Goodbye, writer Morwenna Banks shows how friendships can soar and become the support system needed throughout life’s despair.
Barrymore and Collette shine in their respective roles, even more when they’re onscreen together. Barrymore gives her usual light and airy performance, however, it’s Collette who gives Miss You Already the powerful and emotionally charged capability that outshines other friendship based films. The chemistry between the two leading ladies is outstanding and the film’s defining element. This is further strengthened by their believable lifelong friendship, a connection that was much more stronger the the women’s respective partners; Milly’s husband (Dominic Cooper) and Jess’ boyfriend (Paddy Considine).
Directed by Catherine Hardwick (Twilight), Miss You Already stars Barrymore and Collette as childhood best friends whose friendship takes a toll when Milly is diagnosed with breast cancer. Hardwick excellently portrays female friendships as strong and durable, built to withstand any of life’s problems. Of course, a debilitating disease can severely impact a friendship but Hardwicke shows how these real circumstances affect lifelong friendships. Renowned for her portrayal of women in film, Hardwicke shines in her depiction of the emotional and truthful friendships, shown through the stunning performances between Barrymore and Collette.
A wonderful mix of sadness and elation, Miss You Already effectively blends all of life’s emotions into one film – a refreshing watch for this cinematic year.
