Annette Bening Shines in ’20th Century Women’ trailer

“I think that, you know, having your heart broken is a tremendous way to learn about the world.”

Ain’t that the truth.

Is it just me or does it feel like it’s been forever since we’ve seen Annette Bening? Since 2010’s The Kids Are All Right her film profile has been pretty low, starring or co-starring in small, underseen (or just plain unseen) indies. Now, with 20th Century Women, it feels like Bening is back.

Writer/director Mike Mills (Beginners) goes back to his roots once again, weaving the stories of three women who explore love and freedom in Southern California during the late 1970s. The look of this first teaser trailer almost instantly feels like 90s era Paul Thomas Anderson; the locale, the push-in dollies, the random visuals.

This also puts Bening back in the Oscar race once again and once again with Natalie Portman, who beat her in 2011. Still, this looks to be the best role she’s had since that match-up and in a year of lead actress performances overflowing in number, it should be a fun race. The great cast is filled out by Greta Gerwig (who looks to have some juicy material here, possible Supporting Actress contender), Elle Fanning, Billy Crudup and newcomer Lucas Jaden Zumann.

20th Century Women is set for this year’s New York Film Festival as the Centerpiece Film. A24 will roll it out on Christmas Day in limited release and wider on January 20th.

Here is the teaser trailer: