Review: "Broken Diamonds"

 

I'm a big fan of Lola Kirke, a young actress whose name you probably don't know. She's worked  in indies and smaller films over the past few years, building a solid resume without ever breaking into stardom. 

I'm not sure if that's something she'll ever achieve, mostly because she doesn't seem to want it. 

Kirke has what the old Hollywood moguls called "presence" -- when she's onscreen, she's always the one you're watching. She's comfortable in her own skin and isn't afraid to show her characters' flaws, inside or out.

She's got an interesting mix of vulnerability and stubbornness, often playing young women who aren't very sure of themselves but find a reason to trust their own authenticity. Check out "Mistress America," in which Kirke was terrific opposite Greta Gerwig.

I was less enthralled with her newest turn, "Broken Diamonds," out this week on VOD. She plays Cindy, a woman with serious mental illness, in her case schizophrenia. But the movie's not really about her, instead focusing on Cindy's brother Scott, played by Ben Platte.

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