There are many movie genres in rotation at your local cinema. Big-hitters like action, sci-fi, horror, and rom-com are well-known. Smaller niches can get overlooked. If you’re a film fan or aspiring industry professional, they’re worth knowing about.
Mumblecore is a good example of this. It hit screens in the 2000s and shaped mainstream releases throughout the 2010s. The actors and directors who emerged from it are now significant forces in Hollywood. This makes it worth investigating. If you’re a mumblecore newcomer, here’s an overview of the basics.
Defining Mumblecore
‘Mumblecore’ tells you what to expect from the movies it describes. The actors deliver their lines in a naturalistic way. Dialogue is like a real conversation, with pauses, repetition, and characters talking over one another. It uses real locations, not sets. Budgets that are well below the industry average force directors to make compromises.
Another feature of mumblecore is a low-stakes plot. There’s no world to save, no quest to complete, and no princess to rescue. Mumblecore movies are mostly about 20-somethings muddling through their young lives.
In a vacuum, it risks sounding dull. Thankfully, the best examples of this genre are engaging, affecting, and authentic.
Main Characteristics
Now that you know the basics of mumblecore, it’s time to examine its characteristics in more detail.
Dialogue
Dialogue in mumblecore is often improvised, which gives the conversations a natural feel. Not every movie involves improvisation, but it’s more common than not across the genre.
You might recognize this style from mockumentaries. Mumblecore movies aren’t all outright comedies like classics of the genre This Is Spinal Tap (1984) or Best in Show (2001). However, they play for laughs more than for sobs.
Audio
There are two things about sound in mumblecore movies you need to know. Dialogue recording comes first. Early movies, like Andrew Bujalski’s Funny Ha Ha (2002), were made on a shoestring, with no ADR. This explains the mumbling.
The second is another result of the budget. We’re used to mainstream movies having big scores and moving soundtracks. Early mumblecore films lack these, making them feel even more naturalistic. Once more money was available, things changed.
Locations
Shooting on location is often more expensive than using a studio. At least, this is the case for major productions, where a high level of polish is required.
The opposite is true for mumblecore movies. A scene between two characters with improvised dialogue, audio captured in real-time, and natural lighting doesn’t need a sound stage. It feels more authentic with the actors and crew crammed into a real room.
Demographics
Mumblecore is a movie genre dominated by white directors, writers, and actors. The plots involve educated young adults muddling through life. And having time to find out who you are as a person is very middle class.
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with this. It’s a reminder that these movies are made by and for a particular type of person.
Filming & Editing
Mumblecore is a genre that came about because of the tech revolution of the 2000s. This was a time when home PCs suddenly could edit video quickly. It also introduced digital capture methods, which were more accessible and affordable than film.
Again, there are exceptions, but shooting and editing digitally helped mumblecore filmmakers get projects made independently. There’s a home movie quality to the earliest releases. It’s not quite on the level of The Blair Witch Project (1999). But it’s not far off.
This reality feeds back into the discussion of demographics. By 2002, anyone with a camcorder and an iMac could make a movie. You just needed the cash to splash on the gear and the free time to use it creatively.
Notable Mumblecore Movies
There are lots of mumblecore movies out there, so you might not know where to start. Here are a few of the most noteworthy, from the definitive films of the 2000s to the mainstream examples of the 2010s.
Funny Ha Ha (2002)
Andrew Bujalski’s debut created the mold for what mumblecore would become. It’s about a woman trying to find her feet after college and the social connections she makes. Bujalski shot it on 16mm film rather than digital media; otherwise, its mumblecore through and through.
The Puffy Chair (2005)
Directed by Jay and Mark Duplass, this is a mumblecore road trip movie that’s funny first and dramatic second. Of course, it still has emotional moments and a naturalistic presentation. The story is also surprisingly straightforward. It’s a good entry point if you’re looking to convert a rom-com fan to the mumblecore movement.
LOL (2006)
Joe Swanberg made more mumblecore movies than almost anyone. In LOL, we see the start of his partnership with Greta Gerwig.
The film is about technology’s role in mid-2000s relationships. Shot before social media took over, the characters still get caught up in cell phones, chat rooms, and screens. It looks more like a web series than a movie, which is appropriate.
Cyrus (2010)
By 2010, mumblecore was mainstream, and it started to get access to bigger budgets and ‘proper’ actors. Cyrus is an excellent example of this change. It pairs the writing and directing talents of the Duplass brothers with John C. Riley, Jonah Hill, and Marisa Tomei.
Rather than focusing on the 20-something slacker, its main character is middle-aged. It’s effectively a mumblecore interpretation of a Judd Apatow comedy. It’s still weird and quirky but a lot less naturalistic. This makes it a turning point for the genre.
Frances Ha (2012)
Today, Greta Gerwig writes and directs blockbusters. Back in 2012, she was still writing and playing restless young characters struggling to find purpose in life. Frances Ha is angsty, ambitious, and tinged with sadness. It’s also quietly funny, innocent, and beautifully presented in black and white.
Drinking Buddies (2013)
In spite of her star power, Anna Kendrick is an excellent fit for mumblecore. Under the direction of Joe Swanberg, she shines in Drinking Buddies (and later Happy Christmas). In conjunction with Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, and Ron Livingston, we get a gently funny film about modern relationships.
The Mumblegore Must-Sees
It didn’t take long for mumblecore to influence other genres. In particular, it inspired naturalistic horror films from the mid-2000s onwards. The name of this genre mash-up? Mumblegore. Here are a few films from this subgenre you should seek out.
Murder Party (2007)
What if you committed a murder as a work of art? That’s the satirical question asked – and answered – by Murder Party. The result is one of the funniest horror films of the 21st century.
Kill List (2011)
Mumblecore and mumblegore might be dominated by Americans, but the Brits also got involved. In Kill List, director Ben Wheatly gives us a softly spoken hitman who lives in a normal house, not a mansion. The film starts realistically and then gets crazy. The combo of natural performances and odd scenarios is seriously unsettling.
Blue Ruin (2013)
Forget the overblown action of John Wick (2014). The perfect revenge thriller came out a year earlier from the team behind Murder Party. Rather than being big and loud, the tension becomes almost unbearable as Blue Ruin approaches its climax. It’s one of the few films I love but struggle to watch again.
Creep (2014)
Mumblecore, mumblegore, and found footage combine in this funny, frightening flick starring Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice. Although the film may be just 77 minutes long, the final shot is one of the most memorable in cinema.
Conclusion: The Mainstream Impact
Mumblecore is no longer an indie genre. The people who helped build it are well and truly part of the Hollywood establishment. You’ll find their fingerprints on box office hits. And the values of naturalistic filmmaking they once held are hard to spot.
Regardless, mumblecore is an important part of modern movie history. It attempts to capture the middle-class Millennial experience, resulting in films that feel like hanging out with friends. That’s not a bad legacy to leave.
