Super interesting to see that this is how the Safdie Brothers really got their filmmaking careers started. While it does feature similar pacing and cinematography to their other 3 primary feature films, its mostly missing the utter anxiety and claustrophobia. Though things are going "wrong" throughout it, this film's greatest strength is in how touching it manages to be in its rawness. It simply feels immensely real.
Ronald Bronstein does a great job as the dad who can't keep up with his own life and isn't doing the best job of taking care of his sons. And the boys are adorable and totally believable - it never feels like they are acting. They just feel like real kids being kids.
This definitely qualifies as a "slice of life" movie, "a real New York slice" in this case, as not a lot of profound events really occur, but it has enough charm that it functions well as just that. It's really wild that the bros went from such an endearing first feature right into the junkie tale HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT as their follow-up, one of the bleakest movies made this century. What an insane dynamic to flex with your first two films - no wonder they started getting celebs on board fast for Good Time (one of my favorite films of this century) and then Uncut Gems! Rise Safdies, rise!
Ronald Bronstein does a great job as the dad who can't keep up with his own life and isn't doing the best job of taking care of his sons. And the boys are adorable and totally believable - it never feels like they are acting. They just feel like real kids being kids.
This definitely qualifies as a "slice of life" movie, "a real New York slice" in this case, as not a lot of profound events really occur, but it has enough charm that it functions well as just that. It's really wild that the bros went from such an endearing first feature right into the junkie tale HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT as their follow-up, one of the bleakest movies made this century. What an insane dynamic to flex with your first two films - no wonder they started getting celebs on board fast for Good Time (one of my favorite films of this century) and then Uncut Gems! Rise Safdies, rise!