Uptown Girls

Uptown Girls is a comedy from 2003, starring Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning. Molly (Brittany Murphy) is the daughter of a former rock star who was killed, along with his wife in a plane crash, and now lives alone, off her inheritance. Apart from this tragedy, she has everything else a girl could want and lives an extravagant and fun lifestyle in New York City. Though she is initially surrounded by wealth, Molly’s life soon plummets in a downward spiral.

After losing her inheritance, her apartment, Molly’s friend is able to score her a job as a nanny. The job is to look after eight year-old Ray Schleine (Dakota Fanning), whose dad is in a coma, and whose mom is so consumed with work that she is never around. Ray is everything Molly is not: sensible, independent, mature, and grown-up. Compared to Molly, who is spunky, fun-loving, and spontaneous, Ray is more of the adult in the relationship. Ray has gone through nanny after nanny because no one can cope with her, however, Molly is determined to get through to her, and teach Ray how to be a kid, and ditch the adult-like persona that she has. 

The main focus of this film is the juxtaposition of these two drastically different characters’ lifestyles. Molly has pursued an absurd lifestyle in response to the loss of her parents, while Ray has been forced to grow up too fast and be independent, thus assuming a complete adult manner. After annoying one another to no end, these two finally find common ground and each influences the other for the better. Molly is able to bring out Ray’s carefree child side, whereas Ray teaches Molly to become more mature and responsible than she had been previously. These events that unfold cause both characters to arrive at a better, happier life, while developing a touching friendship in the process.