The films of Andrew Bujalski have always had a disjointed feeling for me; a certain mellowness which seems too contrasted with the chaos of his characters’ feelings. I do not think this is the case with Support the Girls, an earnest comedy about a Texas restaurant called Double Whammies, a sports-themed establishment known for its attractive, young and busty wait staff. That team is led by Lisa (a great Regina Hall), the restaurant’s general manager who also accepts the responsibility of putting out all the figurative fires that may spring forth. Lisa is completely aware of all of Double Whammies’ problems – first and foremost its treatment of young girls and their use as exciting enticements for cretinous older men – and does her best to convince the staff (and herself) that they are in control, and making the best of a regrettable situation.
Not that the young girls particularly mind their use. Maci (Haley Lu Richardson) seems to have a preternatural skill for unabashed service industry enthusiasm, always ready with a smile, a joke, a casual touch. On the other side is Danyelle (Shayna McHale), a monotone-voiced smart talker who does her job well, but doesn’t expect a great attitude to come along with it. These two veteran servers balance out one hectic workday for Lisa, who must deal with an attempted break-in, disrespectful patrons (her “zero tolerance policy” seems to get tested on a daily basis), inexperienced new hires, and an owner named Cubby (James Le Gros) who would love to fire Lisa (her next-level competence seems to threaten his own authority) except that nothing in the restaurant seems to function properly without her.
Regina Hall, a veteran comedic actress who got to lead last year’s megahit Girls Trip, is finally getting the type of roles worthy of her talent and timing. In Support the Girls, Hall is mostly playing it straight, a reactionary performance that completely translates the fatigue behind the positive attitude. Hall’s Lisa is a woman spread thin, mostly by her work environment, but also by a troubled marriage and a commitment to her wait staff who are often too young to appreciate her workload. Lisa’s maternal role in keeping her girls working without exploiting them is the film’s central focus, but Bujalski’s film is also an accurate document of the thanklessness of being a dedicated worker in a service industry job. Double Whammies, as an institution, is misogynist and occasionally racist, but Support the Girls honors the women who work together and the sisterhood they use to overcome it.
Written and Directed by Andrew Bujalski