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Although I counted George Washington among my favorite films of 2000, I was a little skeptical about the long-term prospects of that film’s young writer-director, David Gordon Green, who was only 24 when the movie was released. I am ecstatic to say that whatever doubts I had were laid to rest by Green’s second feature, the terrific, assured All The Real Girls. He proves that those moments of restless energy and sublime beauty so prevalent in Washington weren’t just lucky accidents, but products of the lush atmosphere Green creates and controls.

Paul Schneider stars as Paul, a handsome, promiscuous young man in a small North Carolina town; he spends his time drinking and strolling with his buddies, one of whom is Tip (Shea Whigham), who has a younger sister Noel (Zooey Deschanel) who falls in love with Paul. Those familiar with Washington realize that’s all they need to know. A tragedy of sorts occurs, but otherwise the film just flows, documenting different moments in their relationship and the far-reaching effects their love has.

Green doesn’t have the answers to love, but he has formidable skill at recreating the gentle moments that comprise our relationships. We never see Paul and Noel meet; the film simply opens with them exchanging corny pre-first kiss banter while clearly more concerned with the other’s vivid presence. Throughout the film, it’s as if Schneider and Deschanel are truly in love; this is due in equal parts to their acting, Green’s direction, and the enhanced, magical realism conveyed by cinematographer Tim Orr (who probably took a few notes from Zooey’s real-life father, Caleb).

Beyond the surprising beauty of the central relationship are its repercussions, presented gracefully and humorously. The denouement of the film, like Washington, is filled with awkward pauses and surprising humor that sort of places the dramatic arc of the film in a different light. Green also tugs on our heartstrings a little heavy-handedly, particularly Paul’s mother (Patricia Clarkson) who is a clown-for-hire, and the inclusion of Noel’s younger, Down’s syndrome-affected brother. Yet even when he borders on pretentiousness, the film is filled with such passion and honestly that any intellectual criticism just seems cold-blooded.

Besides highlighting a Southern culture otherwise ignored in movies, Green ably presents the minutiae of the rural way-of-life. When Paul confronts Tip about seeing his sister, the film opens from an isolated examination of love to a microcosm of small-town attitudes-the homebody Tip realizes his dead-end existence, and Paul confronts his girl-crazy past with the collegiate future of Noel. This is all very sad stuff, but again, the personal nature of the film allows it to ring true-this is an unfamiliar lifestyle, but one that is intrinsically connected to all the elements of the film-the sparse, dated industrial equipment, the sumptuous natural browns of North Carolina, and the acoustic-based soundtrack.

With a wave of flashy up-and-coming directors garnering attention by moving to Hollywood and sporting big budgets/stars, it’s refreshing to see Green making personal movies with his buddies down home. It’s even better that the uncompromising honesty of these films makes it as original and vibrant as any other film from a hip new director.

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