Very Good Girls
Very Good Girls is a 2013 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Naomi Foner in her feature directorial debut.[1] The story follows two best friends, Lily (Dakota Fanning) and Gerry (Elizabeth Olsen), recent high school graduates in New York City who make a pact to lose their virginity during the summer before heading to college, only for their bond to be strained when both develop romantic feelings for the same young street artist, David (Boyd Holbrook).[1][2] The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2013, and received a limited theatrical release in the United States on July 25, 2014, with a runtime of 91 minutes.[3] In addition to its leads, Very Good Girls features a strong supporting cast including Ellen Barkin as Lily's mother, Demi Moore as Gerry's mother, Richard Dreyfuss, and Peter Sarsgaard.[1] Produced by Herrick Entertainment and Groundswell Productions, among others, the screenplay explores themes of friendship, first love, secrecy, and family dynamics amid the pressures of impending adulthood. Critically, Very Good Girls garnered mixed to negative reviews, with praise centered on the authentic performances by Fanning and Olsen but criticism directed at the underdeveloped characters, predictable love triangle plot, and uneven pacing.[4] It holds a 20% Tomatometer score based on 35 reviews and a 33% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Metacritic reports a 35 out of 100 from 11 critics.[2] Despite the reception, the film highlights Foner's transition from acclaimed screenwriter—known for works like Running on Empty—to director, drawing on her personal experiences in crafting the intimate portrait of youthful transitions.[5]Synopsis and cast
Plot
Lilly (Dakota Fanning) and Gerri (Elizabeth Olsen), lifelong best friends and recent high school graduates in New York City, spend their final summer before college reveling in newfound freedom. The introspective Lilly plans to attend Yale, while the outgoing Gerri dreams of pursuing music; together, they make a pact to lose their virginity and savor the season without regrets. Their adventure begins with a spontaneous nude swim at Brighton Beach, symbolizing their embrace of adulthood, but soon shifts when they encounter David (Boyd Holbrook), a charismatic street photographer and ice cream vendor on the boardwalk. Both girls are instantly smitten, drawn to his artistic spirit and easy charm.[6][4] Lilly, harboring deeper feelings, initiates a secret romance with David, sharing tender moments and ultimately losing her virginity to him in her family's garage. She conceals the relationship from Gerri, who openly flirts with David and begins casual dates with him, unaware of the overlap. Meanwhile, personal challenges strain their lives: Lilly grapples with her parents' crumbling marriage, discovering her father (Clark Gregg) in an affair with one of his psychotherapy patients, which exacerbates tensions at home with her mother (Ellen Barkin). Gerri, from a warmer, more bohemian family led by her inquisitive mother (Demi Moore) and wisecracking father (Richard Dreyfuss), faces tragedy when her father dies suddenly of a heart attack, prompting her to seek solace in David and further complicating the trio's dynamics. Lilly takes a job at a Manhattan boat tour company, fending off advances from her sleazy boss (Peter Sarsgaard), while the secrecy of her affair with David erodes her confidence.[4][6][7] The deception unravels at Gerri's father's memorial service, where she confides in Lilly that she has lost her virginity to David, igniting Lilly's feelings of betrayal and prompting her to lie about sleeping with her boss as a misguided act of retaliation. Jealousy fractures their friendship, leading to heated confrontations and emotional distance as summer wanes. David, caught in the middle, admits to Lilly that he never slept with Gerri and only truly connected with her, but he chooses to leave for Paris to pursue his photography dreams, bidding her a heartfelt goodbye. In the film's climax, the truth emerges fully: Gerri reveals she fabricated her encounter with David out of loneliness and spite. The girls, raw from the ordeal, reconcile through honest dialogue, reaffirming their bond with a playful dance in the sprinklers and a final naked swim, parting ways as they head to college with renewed independence and mutual support.[8][4][6][9]Cast
The principal cast of Very Good Girls is led by Dakota Fanning as Lilly Berger, the more reserved and introspective of the two lifelong best friends who is dealing with her parents' marital issues, and Elizabeth Olsen as Gerri Field, her ambitious counterpart under pressure from her parents.[10] Fanning and Olsen, who attended the same high school, portray recent graduates whose real-life familiarity mirrored their characters' close bond.[11] Boyd Holbrook plays David Avery, the enigmatic ice cream vendor and aspiring artist who becomes a romantic interest for both leads.[12] Supporting the leads are Demi Moore as Kate Field, Gerri's mother; Richard Dreyfuss as Danny, Gerri's father; Ellen Barkin as Norma Berger, Lilly's mother; and Clark Gregg as Edward Berger, Lilly's father.[13][10][12] Additional cast includes Kiernan Shipka as Eleanor Berger, Lilly's sister; Peter Sarsgaard as Fitzsimmons, Lilly's summer job boss; and Clare Foley as Franny.[14][13][12]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dakota Fanning | Lilly Berger | Reserved best friend facing family marital challenges |
| Elizabeth Olsen | Gerri Field | Ambitious best friend pressured by expectations |
| Boyd Holbrook | David Avery | Enigmatic ice cream vendor and artist |
| Demi Moore | Kate Field | Gerri's mother |
| Richard Dreyfuss | Danny | Gerri's father |
| Ellen Barkin | Norma Berger | Lilly's mother |
| Clark Gregg | Edward Berger | Lilly's father |
| Kiernan Shipka | Eleanor Berger | Lilly's sister |
| Peter Sarsgaard | Fitzsimmons | Lilly's summer boss |