<i>20th Century Women</i> Is an Ode to Female Resilience
Mike Mills’s film is an emotionally smart story about a 15-year-old boy who comes of age with the help of three offbeat women.
In a scene early on in 20th Century Women, Dorothea (Annette Bening) helps her son construct a birthday cake in the kitchen, plugging candles into a mess of whipped cream and strawberries. “Wait a few seconds and then bring it in,” she says, heading into the living room. Then, dutifully, she feigns surprise as he places it in front of her, while all the assembled guests sing “Happy Birthday.”
