Line #21 Film/UptownGirls


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_0918.JPG]]
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3	''Uptown Girls'' is a 2003 comedy-drama film directed by Boaz Yakin, starring Creator/BrittanyMurphy and Creator/DakotaFanning.
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5	The plot mainly involves Molly Gunn (Murphy) playing nanny to [[LittleMissSnarker Lorraine "Ray" Schleine]] (Fanning). There's also a romantic subplot, and the story also deals with [[MyParentsAreDead dead]] parents, growing up, and delves into the characters' issues.
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8	!!This film provides examples of:
9	* AdoptTheFood: Mu, Molly's pet pig, was originally supposed to be made into a curry dish. However, the latter thought he was too cute to be eaten and decided to keep him as a pet.
10	* ArmorPiercingResponse: Ray delivers one of these to Molly during their tea party. It isn't until a sleepover later at Ray's house does Molly break down in tears because of this.
11	-->'''Molly:''' Why should I change? So I can turn into a grown-up like you?\
12	'''Ray:''' You're scared.\
13	'''Molly:''' ...
14	* BookEnds: Ray says something insightful at the opening and closing of the movie.
15	* CastingCouch: [[spoiler:Neal got his record deal by sleeping with Ray's mom.]]
16	%%* ComingOfAgeStory
17	* ControlFreak: Ray is written all over this trope.
18	* CoolBigSis: Molly tries to play this to Ray. It works as often as Ray is this trope in spirit for Molly.
19	* DeadpanSnarker: [[HypercompetentSidekick Ingrid]] and Ray.
20	* DumbassHasAPoint: When Ray and Molly are having a tea party...
21	-->'''Ray:''' Why are you buttering a plastic scone?
22	-->'''Molly:''' ...Why are there plastic scones when we have real food on the table? Huh?
23	* FreudianExcuse: The reason Molly is such a [[ManChild Woman Child]] is because she never received closure for her parents' passing, and getting lost in a party animal lifestyle is her way of keeping the grief at bay.
24	* GrowingUpSucks: Molly refusing to get a real job, learn a skill, get a formal education, or use her love for fashion as career path, until the end.
25	* HousepetPig: Molly has a pet pig named Mu who she deemed too cute to eat.
26	* IronicEcho: "Fundamentals are the building blocks of fun."
27	* ItsAllJunk: Molly sells her deceased rock star dad's collection of guitars for significantly less than she anticipates, and she goes through with the sale just to get rid of them. [[spoiler: Thankfully, it was Neal who bought them, both to help Molly and keep them in her life.]]
28	* JerkassHasAPoint: Ingrid was in the wrong for expecting Molly to pay half while sleeping in the living and selling most of her possessions. But Molly needs to downsize to pay for basic needs and should focus on getting a job.
29	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Ingrid may be a bit controlling as a friend towards Molly, but she is very concerned about Molly when she loses her wealth, and even helps Molly find a job.
30	%%* LittleMissSnarker: Ray
31	* ManicPixieDreamGirl: A bit of a subversion in that the film deals mostly with the women's perspective. Molly could be this to Neal the burgeoning rock star, but their relationship is doomed until they both grow up.
32	* TheMuse: Deconstructed; Neal comes to see Molly as this when her quirky behavior inspires a new song and an iconic look, but treating her like his personal well to draw ideas from drives Molly away.
33	* MyParentsAreDead: Molly essentially says this to Neal, and later describes the situation to Ray.
34	* OnlyKnownByHerNickname: "Nobody calls me Lorraine."
35	* ParentalAbandonment: Both Molly and Ray, in very different ways.
36	* ParentalLoveSong: "Molly Smiles", written by Molly's father.
37	* ParentalNeglect: Ray's mother cares little for her daughter's emotional wellbeing, preferring to simply fund whatever happens to keep her complacent, and misinterprets Ray's TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior as a sign of maturity. By the epilogue, thanks to a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from Molly, it appears that she has started to make amends.
38	* PinkySwear: Subverted, as the fear of germs gets in the way of the pinkies linking.
39	* PunnyName: Molly's late father was named Tommy Gunn. It may or may not be a StageName.
40	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Molly delivers two of these, one to Ray's mom for neglecting her and to her former rockstar lover for being a "sell-out."
41	* RoyaltiesHeir: Molly has been living on the royalties from her dad's music.
42	* ShoutOut: "What is this, ''Film/TheShining''?"
43	* SpoiledSweet: Molly lives entirely on her parents' estate, never worked a day in her life, and doesn't seem to hold a formal education, yet she shows genuine kindness to those around her. She gave one of her neighbors her birthday flowers, gave her doorman a gift for his lady, and wished to donate all her presents to the less fortunate.
44	* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Ray, with the pill-popping, the ridiculously advanced vocabulary, the flipping off of anyone who dares displease her, etc.
45	* WalkingShirtlessScene: Neal spends almost as much screen time without his shirt on as he does with it.
46	* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Ray.

Context Film / UptownGirls