Good Posture Movie Review (2019)

A quiet indie drama about a young woman drifting through early adulthood while staying with a reclusive writer, Good Posture is an easy watch, with a subtle sense of growth, but it doesn’t leave much of an impression.

There have been some really interesting films about twenty-somethings stuck in their patterns. If you look at Frances Ha, The Outrun, or Party Girl, you’ve got charming young women who are liked by their friends, but have very little direction. The movies are solid, if not really enjoyable, and although the narrative is familiar, there are unique choices to make.

Good Posture centers on Lilian, a young woman who has just broken up with her boyfriend and is staying with her father’s friends while he is out of town with his girlfriend. Having gone to film school, Lilian has no prospects, but writes in a journal, sleeps late, and leaves messages for her dad to come and sweep her back up. She quickly befriends Don, the man of the house, and develops an odd relationship with his wife, writer Julia Price, while living in their home.

This is a harmless indie film that is pleasant to watch, but doesn’t really draw you in. I kept waiting for that moment when I felt connected, but it didn’t arrive. That doesn’t mean that it’s not worth watching, but it does mean that, at least for me, I won’t remember much about it in a few weeks.

There are some ideas that stuck out to me, though. Lilian, who is immature and always looking for someone else to do the work to make her life more comfortable, doesn’t have a relationship with her mother. In turn, she finds that the reclusive Julia, who is absent, but also somehow present, is leaving notes in Lilian’s journal for her. Over time, the women begin to develop a relationship, something she’s not had with any older woman.

There is also the idea of the title itself – Good Posture. It ultimately has a clear meaning within the story, but also, Lilian is not the definition of “good posture.” She is a pretty slacker who can’t cook, claims no responsibility, and the concept of “standing up straight” would be a joke.

I wanted to click with this film more than I did, but film doesn’t always work that way. You may find something in the structure or the storytelling that I didn’t. As it stands, Good Posture is easygoing and meandering, with some cute moments and strong actors. It’s a totally fine watch, I just wish I’d found the spark I was hoping for.

Runtime: 91 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: Not Rated (I’d say around PG-13)

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Sure

Did I Cry? Nope

My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Available: Free on Prime Video, Tubi, and PlutoTv, to rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms