Party Girl

Daisy von Scherler Mayer's Party Girl opens with Mary (Parker Posey) being arrested for organizing an underground rave. To pay back the bail, she gets a job at the library where her godmother works. But Mary soon finds it hard to balance her nightlife with her day job.

As with many independent productions of the time, Party Girl depicts the struggle of becoming a responsible adult. Everyone when they're younger expects adulthood to be a breeze. Then the reality of employment and paying smacks you upside the head, and it's not as appealing.

Also on display in Party Girl is, well, the party scene of '90s New York City. With a vibrant soundtrack backing it, the film captures that drive for escape from the mundanity of reality. But like everything, it can only sustain you for so long.

Speaking of, Party Girl portrays the anxiety that comes with getting older. You don't have someone besides yourself figuring out what you want to do with your life. Sure, friends and family can encourage (or discourage) you about your goals but your life is yours -- you have to have to figure out what to do with your finite time.

Party Girl is a little slow to start off but once it does, it kicks off. Made between the yuppie era and the new millennium, it has a free spirit both in its lead and its storytelling. Frankly, it's the kind of film that shows life doesn't have to be boring and uptight; you just need to find a good balance of work and pleasure.

My Rating: ****