A student (Lola Kirke) finding her freshmen year at college to be more lonely and isolated then expected discovers she has a soon-to-be stepsister (Greta Gerwig) from her mother's impending marriage. After acquainting, the slightly older, flighty free spirit takes her under her wing, making her a partner in her many harebrained ventures. Noah Baumbach's Mistress America is well made and mostly intelligent, though given to pretensions, with a very funny final act featuring Michael Chernus and Heather Lind hysterical in late arriving, built up supporting roles. However its hard to see what Kirke's chatacter sees in Gerwig or just what the director was going for in his usually charming leading lady.
*** out of ****
