Nothing Special

Nothing Special is a captivating indie drama film released in 2010, featuring Julia Garcia Combs, Karen Black, and Barbara Bain. Written and directed by Angela Garcia Combs, this deeply personal yet universally relatable story offers a refreshingly honest depiction of life and personhood as seen through the eyes of the main character Louise (played by Julia Garcia Combs).

The narrative follows the life of Louise, a young and ambitious woman working in an insurance company in Los Angeles. She is intelligent, analytical, and a seemingly perfect employee, but her life outside work is complex and a wee bit chaotic. She is constantly trying to wrangle her tumultuous relationship with her eccentric, unpredictable and mentally unstable mother, May (portrayed by the legendary Oscar-nominated actress Karen Black).

Karen Black's superbly nuanced performance as May, a former television and theater actress with unpredictable emotional swings, is one of the highlights of the film. She has a maddening yet endearing charm and uses her past inglorious career as an excuse to maintain a flamboyant lifestyle, causing further distress to her upon daughter. As May, Black paints a raw and unfiltered picture of a woman battling her demons while still attempting to live life on her own unapologetic terms.

May's manipulations and behavior create a host of challenges for Louise. This pushes her into the care of a psychiatrist, a role played brilliantly by Barbara Bain. Bain, an Emmy award-winning actress, brings a gentle yet firm presence to her character. Her counseling sessions with Louise serve as an exploration into Louise's psyche and help the audience to understand her complexities and internal struggles better.

Julia Garcia Combs, who also happens to be the daughter of the writer and director, gives a remarkable performance as Louise. She finely balances the strength and vulnerability of her character who is torn between her own desires for a mundane life and familial love for her mother. To enjoy a simple life of routine and normalcy becomes an uphill battle for Louise because of the volatile relationship with her mother. This relationship is the heart and soul of the movie.

One of the intriguing aspects of the story is the way it manages to weave a touch of magical realism throughout the narrative. Louise is plagued by a series of odd and surreal dreams that may hold the key to understanding her life better. They mesh with reality in such a seamlessly unusual manner that they lend a unique texture to the film.

Shot in and around Los Angeles, the film uses its urban landscape to create a tangible sense of space and place. The cinematography by Salvador Lleo De La Fe is excellent, adding another layer to the storytelling process. The film’s score, composed by the talented Trance Blackman, also does wonders to compliment the mood of the film.

Nothing Special can be deemed as a thorough exploration of the human psyche, relationships, and the realities of life, combining the ordinary with the extraordinary. The interactions between the mother-daughter duo are incredibly relatable, reflecting the love, resentment, exhaustion, and undeniable commitment found in familial relationships.

The film manages to put forth the theme of mental health and its domino effect on relationships and personal growth without making it feel like an educational pamphlet - it is more of an emotional journey than a solemn lecture. It tackles these complex issues with a large dose of humor, humanity, and respect, making the narrative engaging and good-natured, despite its underlining seriousness.

In conclusion, Nothing Special is a movie that is indeed something special: a visually delightful, emotionally insightful, and intellectually engaging cinematic experience. With its superb performances, insightful storytelling, and skillful direction, it serves as a worthwhile and enlightening film not just about womanhood but about personhood in general. It's a fantastic blend of drama, humor, and surreality that successfully tells a tale of complexities of human relationships and life itself.