neumu [ cinematronic ]




	All The Real Girls
	David Gordon Green Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson, Shea Whigham 2003		With the bittersweet romance "All the Real Girls," distinctive, young writer/director David Gordon Green offers an admirable follow-up to his lyrical, atmospheric debut, "George Washington," which focused on a gaggle of small-town children confronting an unexpected death. Both movies share a certain quietude and a rural Carolina setting, but "All the Real Girls" goes beyond the first film's artful use of amateur actors. While novices brought documentary-like verity to "George Washington," screen pros Zooey Deschanel ("The Good Girl") and Patricia Clarkson ("Far From Heaven") bring their talents to "All the Real Girls," raising the bar for the entire cast. Clarkson is fine as Paul's single mom, who works as a clown for kids' parties and tries to forget her dashed dreams. But Deschanel is a nuanced wonder as 18-year-old Noel, who returns home after boarding school and falls for genial town stud Paul (Paul Schneider, Green's co-screenwriter), her older brother Tip's best friend. Hotheaded Tip (Shea Whigham) knows Paul's history and warns his sister away. Surprisingly, Paul is in love for the first time and determined to commit himself to Noel.