The film feels brilliantly both of another time and of our own.

Mills is clearly fond of all these characters, and is happy to dwell on their moments of happiness and sadness, all of which provide knowledge and worldly wisdom to the teenage boy whose life they will so profoundly affect.

It's a nice film with some great moments but Mills' touch is too tentative to make all that talk buzz and hum as resonantly as it should.

20th Century Women encapsulates the beautiful way parents and children love each other, but may never fully understand one another.