Some Girls (released in theaters on September 9, 1988) sweeps viewers into a whimsical, surreal coming-of-age journey set against the backdrop of a snowy, dreamlike Quebec winter. The story follows Michael (Patrick Dempsey), an earnest college student who travels to Montreal over the Christmas holiday to visit his glamorous girlfriend, Gabriella (Jennifer Connelly).
Upon his arrival at her family’s sprawling estate, Michael is stunned when Gabriella abruptly informs him that she no longer loves him, leaving the heartbroken American youth stranded in an increasingly eccentric household filled with colorful personalities.
Rather than returning home, Michael becomes drawn into the hypnotic web of Gabriella’s aristocratic family.
He finds himself navigating the seductions and whims of her two distinct sisters: the deeply religious, bookish Simone and the boisterous, free-spirited Irenka (Sheila Kelley).
Meanwhile, the household is anchored by Gabriella’s eccentric father (Andre Gregory), a world-weary philosopher who spends his days working entirely in the nude, and her frail, whimsical grandmother, Granny (Lila Kedrova), who mistakes Michael for her long-lost husband.
As Michael wanders through the snowy estate, he finds his traditional ideas about romance, art, and maturity unraveling amid late-night conversations and seductive family rivalries.
Caught between his lingering desire for Gabriella, the unexpected temptations posed by her sisters, and the surreal wisdom of her elders, Michael undergoes a transformative emotional awakening, learning that love is far more unpredictable than he ever imagined before setting off into adulthood.
Jennifer Connelly and Patrick Dempsey in Some Girls (Photo/MGM)
Reception for Some Girls
Some Girls grossed $401,421 in its theatrical run.
Legacy
Some Girls‘ legacy endures as a charmingly unique, fairy-tale-like artifact of late-1980s independent cinema, widely celebrated for capturing future superstar Patrick Dempsey at the height of his youthful, charismatic heartthrob era.
The picture is equally revered for showcasing an early lead performance by Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly, whose hypnotic screen presence matched the film’s poetic tone.
Director Michael Hoffman infused the narrative with European art-house aesthetics, enhanced by striking cinematography and a whimsical musical score that set it far apart from standard teen comedies of the period.
Supported by vibrant character work from Sheila Kelley, Andre Gregory, and Oscar winner Lila Kedrova, Some Girls remains a cult favorite among fans of retro romantic cinema and unconventional coming-of-age stories.
