The kind of chick-flicks released into an unsuspecting market place as an alternative to the World Cup are rarely much to write home about. But most of them aren’t directed by Nicole Holofcener, a woman frequently described as the ‘Woody Allen of the west coast’.
Her films, to date, have managed the unique trick of being ‘women’s pictures’ without inspiring tedium. Her debut feature, Walking And Talking (1996), provided a witty account of two women whose friendship begins to disintegrate when one of them announces her engagement. Lovely And Amazing (2001) followed three sisters as their mother goes in for plastic surgery.
Okay, so there aren’t many car-chases, but Ms. Holofcener’s keen humour and character driven movies have won plenty of admirers, including the odd bloke.
“See, I never really think that I’m writing or directing for a female audience,” she tells me. “I write what I’m interested in and what my friends are interested in. It’s more narcissism than feminism I guess.”
Her latest film, Friends With Money details the frictions between a gaggle of girlfriends. Frances McDormand plays the low-tolerance, pre-menopausal one. Jennifer Aniston is the unmotivated stoner. Joan Cusack is well-adjusted but rich. Catherine Keener, making her third appearance for Ms. Holofcener, is going through marital hell and sniping from the sidelines. As one might imagine, it’s an impressive script that can ensnare such impressive talents.
“I couldn’t believe I got all those women in my movie,” says Nicole. “I was itching to shoot just in case one of them would have to pull out. And I love working with Catherine. She’s become a kind of muse for me. It’s just so easy to picture her when you’re writing.”
Ms. Holofcener also had a hand in one of the more seminal – if that can be the right word – female texts, directing the early episodes of Sex In The City.
“Oh my God, early on I was totally taken aback when wardrobe brought out a completely see-through top and ridiculous heels for Sarah Jessica Parker”, recalls Nicole. “At that point, I just said – ‘but she’s walking down a street in New York’. Once I got onboard with the fantasy of it, it was fine. But I really thought we were taking a risk. It worked out fine in the end. Wardrobe knew what they were doing with those shoes.”
Sadly, Ms. Holofcener is rather lonely in the filmmaking world, a place only slightly less skewed in favour of one gender than mining or truck-driving.
“It’s unfortunately still a novelty to have a woman director,” she explains. “I would never have been so arrogant as to even think about being a director growing up. I am bossy though, so it seemed like the thing for me once I got there. And I’m making movies so I can’t really complain.”
Even Nicole’s two kids, it seems, are somewhat bemused by their mother’s unusual profession.
“They’re only just starting to realise what I do,” she laughs. “When they used to come on set they’d always been around catering where they’d get M&Ms and Skittles. For years, they thought my job had something to do with sweets.”