Mouse
Set in the early 2000s, this nostalgic indie drama follows a high school girl who experiences a tragedy that brings her closer to her best friend’s mother.
The summer break before their senior year of high school takes a grim turn when a tragic accident rips the lives of friends Minnie and Callie to pieces. The teenage best friends get along like two peas in a pod, even though they are complete opposites of each other. Shy and reserved Minnie (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) gladly stays in the shadow of the school’s favorite student, Callie (Chloe Coleman). Minnie’s chaotic home is one filled with stray animals and ready-made meals, while Callie’s is one where delicious dinners are served.
The film takes place in early-2000s North Little Rock, Arkansas, where director and screenwriter Kelly O’Sullivan is also from. Co-directed with her partner Alex Thompson, Mouse, alongside the creators’ other successful works, Saint Frances (2019) and Ghostlight (2024), establishes them as top names in American indie cinema.
In addition to growing up, this humanistic film carefully meditates upon the complexities of friendship and motherhood, as well as intergenerational relationships from the perspectives of youth and adults alike. Anguish and loss are followed by a mess that everyone attempts to survive to the best of their abilities. The film’s teenage actors shine amongst awarded veterans (Sophie Okonedo, David Hyde Pierce).
Marko Ylitalo (translated by Tara Tuchyner)
Screenings
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Kinopalatsi 7Fri 18.9. at 18.15–20.15120 min, 1/3
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Kinopalatsi 5Sat 26.9. at 16.00–18.00120 min, 2/3
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Cinema OrionSun 27.9. at 20.45–22.45120 min, 3/3