I first watched Mistress America as a freshman in college. I didn’t really have a sense of direction, though I had tentatively chosen to study journalism. My roommate and I didn’t get along and I didn’t really have any friends, so I spent the vast majority of my time alone. It was therapeutic in a sense. I got out a lot and explored concert venues, cafes, parks, and disused buildings on campus. This was also the year I really got…

“I think she looks sad.”

I’ve seen some people complain that this film is too distant or cold, but I found the opposite to be true. To me, The Souvenir feels like lying in the darkness of your childhood room, maybe listening to music or maybe just the hum of a heater in the next room, finally forced to confront memories and feelings that you’ve tried so hard to forget. It’s closing your eyes and remembering his gleaming next to…