All The Real Girls (2003)
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71% of critics liked it
(110 reviews) -
76% of users liked it
(8,716 ratings)
David Gordon Green, who in 2000 made a splash on the festival circuit with his independent debut feature, George Washington, directed this drama about two people entering into a mature romantic relationship -- the sort that neither has been accustomed to. Paul (Paul Schneider) is a guy in his… More David Gordon Green, who in 2000 made a splash on the festival circuit with his independent debut feature, George Washington, directed this drama about two people entering into a mature romantic relationship -- the sort that neither has been accustomed to. Paul (Paul Schneider) is a guy in his mid-'20s who lives in a small Southern town, where he earn a living fixing cars for his uncle. A man with little in the way of ambition, Paul still lives with his mother, Elvira (Patricia Clarkson), and still hangs out with his best friend from high school, rowdy Tip (Shea Whigham), and their buddies Bo (Maurice Compte) and Bust-Ass (Danny McBride). Among his friends, Paul has a reputation as a ladies' man, but he's not at all good with long-term relationships; most of Paul's romances last only a few weeks, and he's slept with nearly every girl in town who's worth having. Deep down inside, Paul senses that he would like to lead a different life, and that feeling becomes all the more clear when he meets Noel (Zooey Deschanel), Tip's teenage sister who has come back home after attending a boarding school. Noel is smarter and deeper than the girls Paul is used to, while Noel is taken with his charm, wit, and down-to-earth nature. Paul and Noel soon fall in love, but for Paul this is a different sort of relationship than he's accustomed to -- Noel is still a virgin, and her contemplative nature gives him a desire to be a better, stronger person. However, Tip doesn't approve of Paul dating his younger sister, which leads to a rift between these longtime friends. All the Real Girls was awarded a Special Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival; Patricia Clarkson's performance was also cited by the jury. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- David Gordon Green
- Written By
- David Gordon Green
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Art House & International
- In Theaters
- Feb 14, 2003 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Classics
Critic Reviews
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Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Undisciplined, unfocused, overimprovised and unevenly acted.
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Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
The characters just sit there and talk, and you start to feel you're trapped not at a movie but in a tiny diner somewhere, eavesdropping on a lot of uninteresting conversations.
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Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
A wise, delicate and immensely touching romance.
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Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Much of the film, which so much wants to seem natural and unforced, comes off as contrived and slightly precious.
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John Hartl, Seattle Times
The characters in All the Real Girls can seem a little thin ... but the emotions always feel genuine.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Cast
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Paul Schneider
as Paul
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Zooey Deschanel
as Noel
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Shea Whigham
as Tip
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Patricia Clarkson
as Elvira Fine
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Maurice Compte
as Bo
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Benjamin Mouton
as Uncle Leland
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Danny McBride
as Bust-Ass
- Bartow Church
- Heather McComb
- Maya Ling Pruitt






