07 Mar 2025 5 min read Nerdspresso

[Nerdspresso] Precious Prose Praising Parker Posey

Parker Posey is having a moment as a snarky pill-popping society wife on Season 3 of Max’s White Lotus.

Parker Posey is having a moment right now with her role on Season three of The White Lotus. The scathingly original indie actress, who has been stealing scenes since the early ‘90s, is catching some buzz from Max’s trendy series about obnoxious guests at a luxurious resort. She chews scenery like its bubble gum as Victoria Ratliff, the snarky pill-popping matriarch of a wealthy North Carolina family on vacation in Thailand.

It is the latest in a line of amazing performances that should have made Posey a much bigger deal by now. Yet she’s just modestly famous, a drama queen without a throne. But if you know that Hal Hartley is a filmmaker and not your dad’s accountant then you are aware of the power of Parker Posey. She may not be a major star, but she’s never been boring. Posey is undeniably the best thing on screen even when she’s phoning it in on dreck like Blade: Trinity or Scream 3.

Posey is the best thing in bad movies like *Blade: Trinity*.

In full transparency, I may have a bit of a crush. This lady is the real deal. Why isn’t she a massive star? I’m thinking it’s by choice. Super stardom sounds glamourous but I bet it’s kind of dull. I love a good movie star, but they do seem to be more like a commodity these days. They become known for a persona and just ride that wave in movie after movie, delivering on expectations. That’s not our pal Posey.

I’m not saying that she’s a pretentious artiste, but she’s definitely too unconventional for the mainstream. Posey would rather be a standout in Christopher Guest’s latest improv extravaganza than play second fiddle to mocap magic in the latest blockbuster. Okay, she did her fair share of green screen acting on that Lost in Space reboot on Netflix, but a girl’s gotta eat, right?

She even stole scenes from the robot in *Lost in Space*.

She’s not a household name, but I bet you’ve enjoyed a Parker Posey performance at some point. Even in small roles, she always grabs the spotlight. From the OG mean girl in Dazed and Confused to Tom Hanks’ urbanite girlfriend in You’ve Got Mail to the wacky record exec in Josie and the Pussycats, Posey is irredeemably unforgettable.

While rowing my remote gently down the Hulu stream, I recently rediscovered her 1995 comedy, Party Girl. If you’re halfway through this column and still wondering why I’ve gushed for almost 500 words about Parker Posey, please check out this movie. Party Girl is a kicky treat, a zesty little morsel that still tastes as sweet as it did 30 years ago. It’s a delightful snapshot of Boho NYC that’s brimming with kitschy charm. Plus, it’s only 90 minutes long.

Posey plays Mary, a party-hopping hipster and wannabe fashionista who gets busted by the cops for running an underground club in her apartment. She gets bailed out by Judy, her dead mother’s best friend and Mary’s godmother. In return for the bail money, she has to get a job at Judy’s work so she can keep an eye on her. Judy just happens to run a branch of the New York Public Library, which becomes a clever backdrop for this story.

Posey is a party-hopping hipster doing time as a library clerk in *Party Girl*.

Reluctant at first, Mary soon starts to enjoy her job. She learns useful skills not connected to strobe lights and club drugs. She finds her purpose in the Dewey Decimal system. Keep in mind that this movie was made in 1995 before the entire world got fully digitized. You’ll get a retro contact high from the scenes with Mary searching through card catalogs surrounded by books. She is partying it up in an analog world.

The montage where she spends the night shelving books and learning the Dewey Decimal system is like a bibliophile’s orgasm. I have a friend that pursued a Master’s Degree in Library Science because of this movie. It has an effect on you. Party Girl is a wonderful mashup for book nerds AND club kids. It has a unique voice and a quirky vibe that’s hard not to love.

*Party Girl* is a wonderful mashup for book nerds AND club kids.

This movie is like a palate cleanser for the nonstop smorgasbord served by streaming services. I feel like the overwhelming number of titles available now just blur together, making it hard for anything to stand out. Sometimes I end up watching the same movies over and over because it’s easier and more comforting than trying something new. When you discover something quirky and original, it’s like finding a desert oasis.

Watching Party Girl again was a joyful experience. This little gem reminded me of the pleasures of discovering a movie with no baggage. It‘s not a big blockbuster franchise or snooty prestige picture. It‘s just a fun cure to your streaming malaise. Posey and writer/director Daisy von Scherler Mayer have created a delightful time capsule that also radiates with a timeless spirit.

This movie is the ideal showcase for Parker Posey as an actress and a Gen X icon. In addition to Hulu, you can catch Party Girl now on Peacock for free. Then pop over to Max and absorb Posey’s latest role as a drowsy society wife on The White Lotus. Enjoy the show and then afterwards, we can all debate the merits of her North Carolina accent. Like I said, she’s never boring.

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