I can see why some viewers criticized this film; it's not a conventional story in which everything is wrapped up neatly at the end. It is, rather, a character study of five women caught in a job few if any of them really want to be doing, struggling with the frustration of chasing dreams that may never be realized. It is achingly like real life. I suppose it might be difficult for many men to relate to these characters--the stars are all women, and the male characters are peripheral at best, with the exception of the long-awaited star who makes an appearance near the end. On the other hand, the feeling of chasing a dream and seeing it always beyond reach is universal, isn't it? except for a very few fortunate people who realize their ambitions fully.
The workplace dynamics add another layer to the drama; although the manager is not always a sympathetic character, it is possible to see how difficult her job must be in trying to manage dysfunctional people who ignore about half of her requests and mock her efforts to get them to work as a team.
It's not for everyone, and the people who turned it off after the first half hour are probably right in that it's not for them. But I have a feeling I'll be thinking about this for a while, much longer than I would a more conventional movie.
The workplace dynamics add another layer to the drama; although the manager is not always a sympathetic character, it is possible to see how difficult her job must be in trying to manage dysfunctional people who ignore about half of her requests and mock her efforts to get them to work as a team.
It's not for everyone, and the people who turned it off after the first half hour are probably right in that it's not for them. But I have a feeling I'll be thinking about this for a while, much longer than I would a more conventional movie.