There is something about the actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead that is so compelling to watch on screen. She’s fearless in her work and you always want to root for her character. In her latest film ‘All About Nina,’ she plays an edgy standup comic. When she takes the stage, she owns the crowd. Her comedy covers prickly material like her period and bad dates. Afterwards she goes backstage and vomits. She is not as in control as she appears in front of a crowd. ‘All About Nina’ is not the first movie about standup comedy. It’s a bit messy at times but what anchors the story is the ferocious performance from Winstead. She makes a lot of bad decisions and is not the most likable character but the audience cares about her anyway. We want her to find happiness but soon find out she’s running away from it.
Nina wants her comedy career to take off. She’s ready to make the move from New York to Los Angeles. She crams her belongings into a Mini Cooper and moves in with a new age writer named Lake (Kate del Castillo). Castillo makes the most out of a clichéd character. Lake says “I’m water-based.” Nina replies back, “I’m whiskey-based.” They soon become fast friends. As Nina is waiting on her agent Carrie (Angelique Cabral) to set up an audition for Comedy Prime (aka Saturday Night Live), she gets some local comedy gigs in LA. After her set, she meets Rafe (Common) who is a really nice guy that wants to take Nina out for dinner. She’s not used to nice guys so finds it a bit awkward. It’s not a conventional romance. She doesn’t know how to handle normal. Can the romance between her and Rafe work out? You’ll be rooting for her every step of the way.
When Nina gets the call that she got the audition for Comedy Prime, it genuinely feels like this is her moment to shine. There is an amusing scene in the green room with a group of female comics all vying for that one spot on the comedy show. They are friendly to each other on the outside but want everyone to bomb on the inside . Nina kills it with a Werner Herzog impersonation ordering a smoothie. Beau Bridges plays a Lorne Michaels type of character that likes what he sees. When Nina realizes she made it, the rest of the comedians are all smiles but with their claws out. Later in the third act, Nina takes the stage for another gig and she comes out punching. She reveals to the audience why all of her relationships with men have been so self-destructive. Winstead’s performance is dark and electrifying.
‘All About Nina’ is Spanish director Eva Vives’ first feature film. It launches a bright future for her into the romantic comedy genre. The film is raw, intense, dark and honest. It reinforces the importance of women going after their dreams in a male dominated industry. It also showcases a fearless performance from Winstead. She’s an incredible talent that will be a leading lady in feature films one day. In the meantime, it’s fun to watch her hone her craft in indie films. ‘All About Nina’ is worth seeking out at your local art-house cinema.
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All About Nina Rating
