Tiny Furniture

Lena Dunham can be praised for the honesty of her first, semi-autobiographical feature, presenting natural characters who are neither overly articulate literary types nor amazing physical specimens, but rather credibly imperfect human beings. Unfortunately, they're also not terribly interesting or likable. Writer-director Dunham also stars as Aura, a recent Oberlin graduate who returns to her family's Tribeca apartment with a degree in film studies. The pudgy, rather drab Aura is welcomed, though without much warmth, by her photographer mother (Laurie Simmons, Dunham's real mom), and treated with alternating affection and dismissal by her snarky, overachieving sister (Grace Dunham, her actual sibling). Tiny Furniture follows Aura's clumsy attempts to deal with the real world post-college, taking an unsatisfying job at a restaurant, where she falls for a laidback cook (David Call), and reconnecting with a classmate who's a pseudo-sophisticated party girl. Most importantly, she bumps into an out-of-town “video artist” (Alex Karposky) whom she impulsively invites to crash with her while her mother and sister are away. While the script boasts a homely integrity, it also occasionally suffers from preciousness. Recent college grads might sympathize with Aura's plight, but many others will consider this an example of self-indulgent navel-gazing. An optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include filmmaker/star Lena Dunham's 2009 debut feature film Creative Nonfiction with an intro (68 min.), a new interview with Dunham and filmmaker Nora Ephron (30 min.), four short films by Dunham (20 min.), a “Paul Schrader on Dunham” interview with the writer-director (8 min.), a trailer, and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Philip Lopate. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so film.] (F. Swietek)