Catherine Hardwicke announced herself as a production designer-turned-director with 2003’s thirteen, starring Evan Rachel Wood as a teen out of control and Holly Hunter, in an Academy Award-nominated performance, as her alcoholic mom. It was scrappy, authentic and a tough watch. A few films down the line found her at the helm of Twilight, a $37-million movie that became a surprise $200-million behemoth. When the producers wanted her to crank out another inside of a year, Hardwicke balked and was fired from the franchise. With Miss You Already, she’s back to more suited territory, one that touches on thirteen’s themes of the intensity of female friendship. Toni Collette and Drew Barrymore are Milly and Jess, lifelong besties. When Milly gets cancer, Jess feels like she has to start hiding the happier parts of her life, namely her longed-for pregnancy. Collette has the showier part as a vain woman having her attributes ripped from her and is as terrific as always, but the limitedly talented Barrymore is a quiet triumph as the steady, earthy Jess. They play together beautifully, even when Miss You Already hits the inevtiable Cancer Movie plot points. You can see it all coming, but it’s wonderful.
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2015.