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12th September 2023
05:01pm BST

On reflection, there's a lot to love about Uptown Girls. It had nepo baby discourse, a beautiful pastel aesthetic and some great in-universe pop songs. I mean, Sheets of Egyptian Cotton is a certified banger. Indeed, from the moment Molly bursts onto our scenes in a flurry of bohemian chic outfits, we're mesmerised.
Beyond the film's melodrama and its glamorous sheen, there's a lot of heart to Uptown Girls, and that's down to the chemistry between Molly and Rae. Despite their differences, Molly and Rae are ultimately just two lonely girls try to keep their heads up amid the loss that surrounds them.
The 2003 was a standout moment for both of its leading ladies. Fanning was just nine when the film came out, while Uptown Girls was a career defining moment for Murphy. While she received acclaim for her supporting roles in Clueless and Girl, Interrupted, Uptown Girls saw Murphy take centre stage, and she dazzles. Her portrayal of an IT girl balances whimsical charm and vulnerability in equal measure, effortlessly endearing herself to her audience. Molly's role in the film is to help Rae come to terms with loss, and following the death of Murphy at the age of 32 in 2009, this facet becomes particularly poignant.
While Uptown Girls may not have thrilled critics when it was released, it resonated with girls, and as the years go on, it remains a very special film, and deserves to be remembered among the great feel good films of the early 2000s.
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