Starring Mary Bronstein, Greta Gerwig. Written and directed by Mary Bronstein. (STC) 77 min. Nov 26, 8pm. $10. CineCycle, behind 129 Spadina Av.
Seething with resentments, hostilities and flashes of incandescent rage, Yeast is no one’s idea of a good time. Yet Mary Bronstein’s debut feature — making its Toronto premiere at Cinecycle on Nov. 26 — is as compelling as it is cantankerous in its portrayal of female friendships gone toxic. It is therefore a worthy companion work to her husband Ronald’s cult hit Frownland, in which Mary also starred.
Representing an aggressive sub-strain of passive-aggressive cinema, the Bronsteins’ movies come much closer to fulfilling the aspirations to Cassavettes-calibre rawness common among the American indie scene’s mumblecore faction.
Needy and needling, Rachel (played by Bronstein) is a walking horror show as she incurs the hatred of her roommate Alice (Amy Judd) and her quasi-BFF Gen (mumblecore regular Greta Gerwig). The lifestyles of Brooklyn slackers have never seemed less appealing, yet Bronstein’s take on female competition and interdependence is refreshingly savage, as well as scathingly funny when the movie most needs it to be.