| A drama about life -- real life for real adults. Blue Eyed Girl is a sweet, tender, charming portrait of a 40-year-old woman hitting a mid-life crisis and re-examining her life when she has to go take care of her ailing father, stay with her two feuding and polar opposite sisters, all while reconnecting with a childhood flame and the one that got away. | | 2025
Directed by: J. Mills Goodloe
Screenplay by: Marisa Coughlin
Starring: Marisa Coughlin, Eliza Coupe, Beau Bridges and Sam Trammell
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Jane (Marisa Coughlin) is an actress in LA, married to a writer, and they have two young kids. Although actress is a bit of a stretch, as she just does background work, but at least she gets paid; writer is also a bit of a stretch, her husband is more of a man-child than a working writer. And then she finds out her father is in the hospital, psych ward to be exact, after his most recent suicide attempt.
Back home is a charming, affluent, picturesque town in Minnesota where her older sister Alex (Eliza Coupe) lives. Alex is a rich divorcee whose life revolves around how rich and perfect she is. Younger sister Cici quit her dead-end job to become a renaissance fair queen full-time. Alex and Cici do not get along, and Jane is just tired. Tired of her unfulfilling career, tired of her busy kids, tired of her directionless husband, tired of her dad insisting he’s fine, and tired of her bickering sisters.
And then Jane runs into Harrison, her former high school sweetheart who is now rich, successful, handsome, and still in love with her. Jane is suddenly not so tired. Harrison is also the first person from back home whom she is actually honest with when they ask how her dad is doing. In every single scene together, it is clear how much she used to adore him, how well they got along, and how well they still get along. A blast from the past that is effortless because it is written so efficiently.
At this point the film has quite a few heady themes to deal with: A father who doesn’t want to live anymore, sisters who are trying not to resent the others for what they have, and a woman who has a husband and kids back home and the love of her life on her sister’s doorstep. Each part of the story is handled with tenderness and care, and the reality that these characters are living real lives. Many people in the audience will be going through many of these same issues.
It's funny at times, sad at times, heartwarming times, but what really stands out is that it is not following a formula. Blue Eyed Girl is a real, relatable, meditative reflection on life that ends on the perfect note.
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