For many young individuals, college represents their first steps into adulthood. Dorm life offers a blend of freedom and reliance on parents, but overall, the sense of independence prevails. Lauren Loesberg’s feature film Year One immerses us in the messy reality of independence.
Ruby (Elizabeth Yu) is a newly minted freshman at college. Somewhat of a loner, Ruby faces her first challenge: adjusting to her new roommate, Selene (Emma Raimi). Selene is having her own bout of anxiety, but she puts on her confident self and eagerly throws herself into sorority life.
As the school year begins, Ruby does well academically, but socially she comes off as more awkward than she prefers. Though her friendship with Selene is growing stronger, the two clash on little things, such as Selene’s need to snooze her alarm every ten minutes and chat while Ruby studies.
As the first semester passes, Selene begins to exhibit signs of severe anxiety and the inability to care for herself. Ruby has helped Selene through these attacks on several occasions. Things come to a head when Selene’s therapist suggests Ruby might be causing her panic attacks. Selene has also been complaining about Ruby to her friends and sorority sisters.
At this point, Ruby has been struggling in college so much that she begins imagining Ruby II, an alternate version of herself living the ideal college life Ruby had envisioned.
“Ruby has been struggling in college so much that she begins imagining Ruby II, an alternate version of herself…”
If we’re honest, we could all relate to Ruby’s story in Year One. I’m a very old man, but Loesberg conjured a flood of college memories of living in dorms during my first year. I remember step one was to find a friend group among hundreds of strangers. I certainly could have done better than I did.
Later in life, I found myself rooming with a person who had emotional and anxiety issues. As much as I wanted to be a lifeline, Like Ruby, I’m not a therapist, but I felt caught between wanting to be a good friend and realizing I’m not a good replacement for a qualified therapist.
Year One exemplifies the power of indie dramas. They deal with stories that are not melodramatic enough for Big Hollywood to care about, but that most of us can relate to because we have lived them. Year One is an example of a story about a specific person and experiences that a broad audience can relate to.
Loesberg masterfully captures that timeless first year of college experience, and her lead, Elizabeth Yu, perfectly embodies both versions of Ruby. What Year One does is connect with generations of first-time college students and say these experiences haven’t changed and you’re not alone.
Year One perfectly encapsulates the awkward, bittersweet reality of the freshman college experience, where triumphs and challenges are often tangled together. Loesberg’s insightful script and Elizabeth Yu’s poignant portrayal of Ruby create a heartfelt indie drama that resonates. Year One reminds us that even in our loneliest moments, we’re never truly alone in figuring out this messy thing called adulthood.
"…The messy reality of independence has never felt so real."
