Dollface: Caricature of Female Friendship
It is often that friendships are forgotten or neglected when we enter a romantic relationship. Suddenly our best friends become strangers as we cancel plans and make them not a priority anymore. This comedic series explores the question of what happens after a breakup centering around its main character Jules. Jules (Kat Dennigs) is suddenly broken up with and tries to reconnect with her friends she forgot about while in a relationship. She must deal with her own imagination and reenter the world of women. Dollface follows Jules as she works to regain the friendship of Madison (Brenda Song) and Stella (Shay Mitchell).
The series makes female friendships look exhausting with its main characters. The series is an ensemble show and centers around Jules and her friends. Madison is a Type-A personality while Stella is more carefree. In comparison Jules is generic and far from the two of her friends in her lifestyle and appearance. It is confusing to identify what links these three females together and what sparks their friendship. It leaves the option that it is just too hard to make female friends when you reach adulthood.
The show features chaos at a superficial level. It can get interesting at times and then feel like a slow burn. The conflicts between the women are basic and surface level. There are arguments at brunch and drinks and exchanges of angry text messages that make it hard to determine what is being fought about. The ladies spend a lot of time arguing but easily makeup to one another. It is surprising how fast Stella and Madison took Jules back as a friend after seeing the evident tension and grudge from her ditching them. Dollface does not show female friendship in a compelling light.
The series plays into stereotypes of women instead of breaking them down and discussing. It seems as the series is poking fun at all the ridiculous aspects of being a female in 2019. The show is extremely up to date with its language and trends. Jules works at a lifestyle brand with a boss who is a spoof of Gwyneth Paltrow and her company. The characters live in a world where you only see the beauty of Los Angeles as if they live in a bubble. Nothing serious is ever mentioned or explored. It feels like an Instagram filter has been placed over the series and everyone included was designed by a Pinterest board. At times it feels too neat and aesthetic.
Something unique about the series is the fantasy scenes Jules experiences throughout the series. At the beginning she is introduced to a woman with a cat face who continues to pop up until revealing herself at the very end. They don't add to the story line but awkwardly pop up. These could be used to explore Jules's inner self but it is still unclear.
Highlights of the series is the stellar cast and witty dialogue. It is an easy watch that keeps you entertained. Some of the plot was forgettable. There were memorable cameos from producer Margot Robbie and Brenda Song's real life boyfriend Macaulay Culkin. It doesn't due justice for female friendships during a time where there are so many television shows driven by females. I am looking forward to season two though. Dollface is a great start for Hulu's entrance to refreshing comedies.