{"id":3130,"date":"2014-03-31T19:46:06","date_gmt":"2014-03-31T19:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=3130"},"modified":"2014-03-31T19:46:06","modified_gmt":"2014-03-31T19:46:06","slug":"lff-2013-afternoon-delight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/lff-2013-afternoon-delight\/","title":{"rendered":"LFF 2013: Afternoon Delight *****"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"afternoon-delight\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Writer-director Jill Soloway does for Kathryn Hahn (Revolutionary Road<\/em>) what Paul Feig did for Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids<\/em>, and given a very naturally funny lady a leading role \u2013 albeit, Wiig did co-write herself a part in the 2011 film. Hahn is a total triumph as bored, affluent Jewish housewife Rachel who has access to everything she desires but is just not happy. An exploration of \u2018money can\u2019t buy happiness\u2019 here, Afternoon Delight<\/em> certainly pours cold water on the supposed domestic bliss of the middle-class, stay-at-home mum. It\u2019s a little darker and more poignant than Desperate Housewives<\/em>, but it has the same destructive nature at play, with Hahn in the driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n

Thirtysomething mother-of-one and housewife Rachel (Hahn) is fed up having to attend the local Jewish social function scene and living the \u2018perfect\u2019 Silverlake lifestyle in LA. With her kid in school and hubby Jeff (Josh Radnor) always busy developing his apps, she needs therapy and something to spice things up a little \u2013 especially in her love life.<\/p>\n

On a whim, Rachel, Jeff and another happily married couple (well played by Jessica St. Clair and Keegan Michael Key) decide to visit a downtown strip joint, where a tipsy Rachel gets a lap dance from McKenna (Juno Temple). Fascinated by the young stripper\u2019s supposed carefree and exotic lifestyle, Rachel invites her into her life and then her home, thinking McKenna could be a project for her to \u2018save her soul\u2019. The explosive consequences open up all the cracks with Rachel\u2019s idyllic existence that she\u2019s been hiding away from.<\/p>\n

Soloway\u2019s writing pedigree (Six Feet Under<\/em> and United States of Tara<\/em>) stands her in excellent stead to produce a harrowingly funny and nuanced comedy drama that strikes at the heart of any bored individual dreaming of change. The plot does initially sound farfetched \u2013\u00a0stripper and housewife bond, but Soloway avoids the clich\u00e9s with both Rachel and McKenna, creating fully rounded and intriguing characters who give and take from each other, and never go by the book. The humour is bittersweet at times and ironic at others as each woman tries to understand the other, emphasised by scenarios that put each one out of their comfort zone.<\/p>\n

Hahn rides the emotional rollercoaster that is Rachel with full aplomb, cultivating with a wonderfully drunken rendition of self-loathing at the end in front of shocked and anxious girlfriends \u2013\u00a0similar to Wiig\u2019s meltdown in Bridesmaids<\/em>. This is Hahn\u2019s time to shine in the leading girl role, and it\u2019s a long time coming to reveal her as a tour de force in the superior \u2018chick flick\u2019 genre, but well worth the wait and the right material.<\/p>\n

In addition, Temple does well to not stereotype McKenna, except for the slutty Barbie pink image and obvious professional mindset. However, the hilarious supporting standout performance prize goes to Glee\u2019s Jane Lynch as lesbian therapist Lenore who has a surprise in store for Rachel (and us) at the end of the ordeal that brings tears to the eyes.<\/p>\n

Female comedy drama is burning bright in recent years, with storylines that drive to the heart of real women\u2019s issues. Soloway\u2019s Afternoon Delight<\/em> builds a comical (if generally unlikely) premise for all those issues to be addressed in the modern-day pressure cooker to have and do it all. Afternoon<\/em> Delight is also the pitch-perfect morning, afternoon or evening viewing for any stay-at-home-mum who gets the \u2018grass is always greener\u2019 speech from her working sisters. There are only so many coffee mornings a girl can stomach\u2026<\/p>\n

5\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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