Although Mary has little income, she still finds ways to spend her nights at clubs. After being arrested for throwing an illegal rave, she asks her aunt Judy for bail money. Judy then finds Mary a job at her library so that Mary can repay her. Initially, Mary finds the job as a clerk boring and stifling, and prefers to get to know a street food vendor whom she likes. However, Mary must refocus her life once she loses her job and apartment.
If bad behaviour and smugness were truly charming, Party Girl might be as much fun as it imagines it is. And Madonna might even have a decent movie career.
– Liam Lacey,
Globe and Mail,
12 Apr 2002
rotten:
The screenplay, by Ms. Mayer and Harry Birckmayer, has its occasionally funny lines, but not nearly enough to certify the film as a hip urban comedy in tune with the cutting edge of downtown New York.
– Stephen Holden,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
rotten:
This exudes trendiness at regular intervals, and otherwise manages to be reasonably charming about Manhattan's melting pot culture, but my general response was still 'Wake me when it's over.'
– Jonathan Rosenbaum,
Chicago Reader,
27 May 2008
fresh:
Party Girl aspires to be cinematic champagne but comes out tasting more like sparkling cider.
– Todd McCarthy,
Variety,
27 May 2008
fresh:
Mary is a spiritual descendant of Holly Golightly, and there's an echo, as well, of Edie Sedgwick, the late Andy Warhol superstar who moved the American-princess-on-a-bender mythology into the drug-rock era.