Long ago, in a time before the internet and social media, there was a world that Gen X remembers well — the ‘80s had Reagan, the AIDS epidemic, big shoulder pads, bigger hair, bold makeup, and colorful, poppy music videos with the birth of MTV. Some even say that this decade was the most iconic time for pop culture and cinema. Dark comedy Downtown Owl expertly encapsulates the marvelous, and sometimes eccentric, vibe of the mid-1980s, and delightfully highlights popular trends like hair, makeup, fashion, and entertainment.
L-R: Vanessa Hudgens as Naomi and Lily Rabe as Julia in DOWNTOWN OWL. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Written by Hamish Linklater and novelist Chuck Klosterman, Downtown Owl follows Julia (Lily Rabe), a woman who thinks there is something more to life than what she has experienced, so she decides to make a temporary move to Owl, North Dakota, in 1983 and become a teacher. Her father is friends with, and has put in a good word with, the principal (Hamish Linklater), who excitedly welcomes Julia to the high school where she will be teaching. Owl is one of those small towns in the middle of nowhere where everyone knows each other. There isn’t much to do and the local movie theater is probably going to close.
What makes Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater’s directorial debut so special is how it perfectly captures the look and feel of 1980s. A big part of the way first-time filmmakers Rabe (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Linklater (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) display the ‘80s aesthetic is cinematographer Barton Cortright’s (The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed) smart decision to shoot the film with P+S Technik Kowa lenses. The cinematography works so well because of the attention to detail, including lighting and colors that make Downtown Owl reminiscent of a home movie from the ‘80s that has been enhanced for better quality.
L-R: Henry Golding as Vance Druid and Lily Rabe as Julia in DOWNTOWN OWL. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Julia immediately meets a friendly teacher named Naomi (Vanessa Hudgens), who likes to party and invites her to meet at the local bar after school. Naomi is pretty, with brown hair curled and teased as big as possible in typical ‘80s style and Hudgens effortlessly portrays her as outrageous, charismatic, and funny, as someone you would want to hang out with. With nothing else to do in Owl, and seeking some kind of release, Julia begins hanging out at the bar with Naomi on a regular basis. She frequently calls home drunk at 2 a.m. to talk to her dad, but doesn’t want to talk to her husband, Mike. Julia believes there is a different kind of life, as well as a different kind of love, out there somewhere waiting for her and she is determined to find it. She eventually makes friends with Horace, played by the always amazing Ed Harris (Love Lies Bleeding), an older man who takes care of his dying wife of almost 40 years, Alma (Charlotte M. Kodner). Julia is envious of the kind of love Horace and Alma have. She believes that’s what her life is missing. Then, one night at the bar, she meets the mysterious former high school quarterback, Vance Druid (Henry Golding). Julia feels drawn to Vance, despite his attempts to act disinterested. Maybe he’s what she’s been searching for.
Julia goes on quite an emotional journey throughout Downtown Owl, while trying to find meaning in her life, and Lily Rabe portrays every tear, sigh, and smile spectacularly. Julia’s tearful breakdowns when she calls home drunk late at night are immensely heartbreaking and understandable — undeniably a career best performance from Rabe. It’s easy to get absorbed in Downtown Owl because the storytelling is engaging and the meticulousness to pop culture and popular trends in the ‘80s, especially if you’re Gen X, is powerful.
Lily Rabe as Julia in DOWNTOWN OWL. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Witty dialogue and clever direction make Owl, North Dakota, in the mid-1980s feel genuine, relatable, and like somewhere you might want to visit. The overwhelming message of Downtown Owl is simple, heartwarming, and extraordinarily important. Rabe and Linklater’s impressive directorial debut makes the audience feel at home in the tiny town of Owl, North Dakota, and that’s pretty remarkable.
Available on digital April 23rd, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Sony Picture Downtown Owl webpage.
Downtown Owl will be available to buy or rent on digital on April 23rd from Sony Pictures.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
Leave a Reply