New Jersey Stage Issue 71 | Page 27

Spiderwick Chronicles failed to provide the same springboard for her career as her compatriot. Bolger has largely been relegated to supporting roles in film and TV, with the rare lead in low budget productions like Emelie, in which she’s chillingly convincing as the babysitter from hell. It’s a shame, as she’s every bit as talented as Ronan, and A Good Woman Is Hard to Find provides her with the meaty role she’s been crying out for over the last decade. In a lesser actor’s hands, Sarah’s arc from a mousy widow who cowers in the face of adversity to a lipstick clad, pistol wielding seeker of justice would have come off as cartoonish, but Bolger is so convincing that she keeps the narrative firmly within the boundaries of social realism. Her face, with premature bags under her eyes, is a portrait of a woman on the edge of collapsing under the weight society and her unfortunate circumstances have placed on her young shoulders. You desperately want someone to give her a hug, but they’d Keep it focused on Spotlight Central for the best in Jersey entertainment news and reviews Look for us @ medium.com/spotlight-central