I’ve been catching up on my Zooey filmography, and tonight was All The Real Girls. I totally forgot that this was the sophomore effort of David Gordon Green, who you probably know as the director of Pineapple Express, but is probably one of the most underrated writer/directors around today. Also, it is the first screen appearance of Danny McBride as… Bust-Ass lol.

On the surface the film is a dramatic tale about the relationship of Paul (Paul Schneider) and Noel (Zooey Deschenal), and the complexities and obstacles that they come across.  However, the film touches on life in a small milling town and the hardships and things we have to do to get by and live our lives. Its a very honest film; Green doesn’t pull any punches and isn’t afraid of how an audience may feel about a particular character and the actors take full advantage of this giving wonderful performances all around. Its definitely made in the vain of the “realist” kind of storytelling that has gained ground in the past decade or so, but Green’s dialogue has a Shakespearean tone wrapped in a southern wit and charm that at times makes the film feel a tad self indulgent, but in the end I think it makes the story more engaging.

Anyway, I think you should check it out next time you are on NetFlix or at Blockbuster.