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Lili Taylor, Anna Grace, Bruklin Harris, Aunjanue Ellis, Ramya Pratt ... see more see more... , Guillermo Díaz , Stephanie Berry , Tom Gilroy , Michael Imperioli , Ernestine Jackson , John Ventimiglia , Mary Joy , Nathaniel Freeman , Asia Minor

When one of their friends commits suicide, three young women learn to stand up for themselves and strike back against male-dominated society in this drama. Patti (Lili Taylor), Emma (Anna Grace), Ange... read more read more...la (Bruklin Harris), and Nikki (Aunjanue Ellis) are four teenage girls who attend the same high school in inner-city New York. Patti is an unwed mother struggling to complete her education as she deals with her irresponsible boyfriend, while the other three are good students going on to college after completing their final year of high school. One day, seemingly without warning, Nikki kills herself. Struggling for clues to explain the tragedy, the other three girls discover her diary and learn that she had been raped while serving an internship at a magazine. As the girls compare notes, they realize that they've all been treated badly by men; Emma was also raped, and Patti sardonically says that if rape is having sex when you don't really want to, then she's been raped by practically every guy she's ever gone out with. Eventually, the three decide that it's time to stand up for themselves and retaliate against the men who have wronged them; they begin by vandalizing the car of Emma's attacker and then formulate a plan to punish the man who raped Nikki. Screenwriter Denise Casano and writer/director Jim McKay developed much of their screenplay through improvisations with the four leading actresses, giving the film's dialogue a natural rhythm and feel. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

73% liked it

556 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

24 critics

R, 1 hr. 28 min.

Directed by: Jim McKay

Release Date: June 1, 1995

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DVD Release Date: February 4, 1997

Stats: 40 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (40)

  • ileo
    November 9, 2007
    ileo
    A very powerful movie!

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
August 9, 2006
Emanuel Levy, Variety

As a male writer-director, McKay proves to be extremely sensitive to the feeling and words of working-class women (Lili Taylor among them), determined to establish their self-worth as well as to fight... Full Review

Desson Thomson
July 24, 2002
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Taylor, Harris and Grace come up with some watchable, genuine moments. But they're often too involved in themselves; the movie indulges them too much. Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
January 1, 2000
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

Constructed without a traditional denouement, Girls Town will nevertheless satisfy viewers who want something that feels more like life than like art. Full Review

Stephen Holden
January 1, 2000
Stephen Holden, New York Times

A welcome little gust of teen-age realism. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
January 1, 2000
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The performances and the film's plausible handling of an unusual movie subject make Girls Town special. Full Review

Jeff Millar
January 1, 2000
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle

Features good work from its performers.

Joe Baltake
January 1, 2000
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

The film feels utterly real. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

I would like to see another movie in three or four years, about what has happened to these angry, gifted friends. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Does an excellent job of uncovering the angst, pressure, and doubt associated with the late teenage years. Full Review

Rob Nelson
September 1, 2009
Rob Nelson, City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Girls Town Subverts the Patriarchy. Full Review

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Girls Town Trivia

  • Who Was in Up Town Girls?  Answer »
  • If we were to combine some of this actress's films , we would get a movie about a pizza whore who ran away (twice) when she saved a town just to die a little and teach girls how to be women.  Answer »
  • Janey is new in town, and soon meets Lynne, who shares her passion for dancing in general, and on "Dance TV" in particular...what movie am I?  Answer »
  • war of the worlds, the cat in the hat, up town girls, hide and seek ?  Answer »
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