If you don’t recognize any of the faces or settings in the indie film The College Girl, you’re either not from Milwaukee or don’t get out much. Directed by Jon Salimes and shot in town, much of it Downtown or on the Marquette University campus, The College Girl stars Katie Hamilton in the title role and features a host of locals, some with theater or previous indie film experience and others not.
The cast proves to be one of The College Girl’s strengths, as Salimes coaxes performances that are unusually fluid and natural for a low-budget film—presumably produced on a tight schedule with limited opportunities for rehearsal or retakes. Filmed in black and white with an eye for cinematic detail and composition, The College Girl’s plot advances sluggishly, yet it's a sweet and funny story about a small town girl coming of age on campus in a big city. The dialogue rings true.
