The 58th New York Film Festival - Week 1 (The Spook Who Sat By The Door, On The Rocks, Nomadland)
Some highlights from the first full week of NYFF58!
Missing the premiere of Lovers Rock was, in purely cinephilic terms, absolute agony. Seeing it get so much love, some even claiming it was McQueen’s best film yet (which is saying a hell of a lot), only twisted the knife. It almost made me forgive everyone who slept on Widows.
Due to preparation for Rosh Hashanah, I began my festival experience last Monday, so I could not take part in any of the films with limited streaming windows ending before then. I look forward to the Lovers Rock’s encore screening, which I will be pairing with Mangrove and Red, White and Blue for a nice mini McQueen-a-thon. Now that is how you spend a Sunday. Also, let’s hope I can catch Gunda at some other virtual festival down the line. But enough of the sad talk!
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from NYFF58 Week 1!
The Spook Who Sat By The Door
Lawrence Cook stars as Dan Freeman, a secret Black nationalist who becomes the first Black member of the CIA; his deep state colleagues are none the wiser to the fact that Freeman is playing them, exploiting his own tokenization to learn the guerrilla tactics he’ll need to take his real fight to the next level.
It’s ironic that the only Revival film that did not receive a restoration is also, arguably, the most relevant during our current historic moment in social justice.
The Spook Who Sat By The Door is an entertaining political espionage thriller in blaxploitation clothing and knows it. What begins as a farcical look at tokenism in the workplace deftly transforms into a gripping protest film, bouncing between suave, calculated deliberations to striking moments of violence with incredible precision and commentary. Unlike many other protest films that sensationalize and romanticize black protest movements, Spook covers a wide gamut of racially complex topics (everything from the debate between peace and violence to even the co-opting of blackface) and isn’t afraid to address them in ways that look both outward and inward.
Perhaps its most gripping commentary is the unavoidable role of violence in revolution, a conversation that is sweeping the nation at this very second. As you watch the film’s striking protest sequence, one of the best I’ve seen captured on film, you can’t help but feel disgusted at its familiarity. Clearly, some of this film’s lessons have yet to be learned, which is probably why The Inheritance director Ephraim Asili chose to program it in this section. It’s the perfect kind of forgotten gem in that it rewards film fans for discovering (or rediscovering) it, brimming with modern poignancy while still maintaining its electric energy. Let’s hope for a stunning restoration in the near future so even more people can experience this powerful piece of black cinema.
On The Rocks
Approaching 40 and plagued by writer’s block, New York author and married mother-of-two Laura (Rashida Jones) has become suspicious that her career-driven husband (Marlon Wayans) may be having an affair with a coworker. When her caddish, bon vivant father (Bill Murray) drops back into her life, he encourages her growing speculation, and the two embark on a mission to uncover the truth, which reignites Laura’s alternating adoration and resentment of the older man who taught her everything—for better and for worse.
Sofia Coppola is back and boy, oh boy, did I miss her…even though it hasn’t really been that long, has it? Well when you make a period drama as excellent as The Beguiled, any waiting in between projects becomes far more excruciating. Thankfully, the wait was worth it, as On The Rocks may be Coppola’s breeziest film but also her most attainable. It’s a new dimension for her, finding a kind of balance between the adrift existentialism of Lost in Translation with the entertainment value of The Bling Ring or Marie Antoinette. It’s incredibly funny and sneakily heartfelt, making for the perfect light afternoon watch, but it doesn’t lose sight of its ideas or characters. Granted, a deeper analysis of its core themes, generational trauma mixed with the danger of artists projecting a lack of self-worth onto others, would’ve been very welcome, but if that took away from its effortless charm, then it wouldn’t have been worth it.
Speaking of effortless charm, can we talk about Bill Murray? Man, this guy’s still got it. Even with a career in comedy that rivals the greats, he can still deliver a comedic gold mine of retorts and one-liners that makes for one my favorite performances of the year. He’s got great chemistry with Rashida Jones, who thankfully gets to play a little outside of her wheelhouse but is ultimately well-cast as a down-to-earth presence. Even Marlon Wayans, who was a complete wild card in this cast, absolutely came through with a strong performance, though the complex, subversive writing of his character was a huge plus. Add all that to the gorgeous New York cinematography, and a few perfectly paced twists and turns that feel straight out of a mystery novel, and you’ve got another hit for Coppola’s dynamic, accomplished filmography. Annnnnnnnnd now we wait again. :(
Nomadland
Set against the grand backdrop of the American West, Nomadland recounts a year in the life of Fern (McDormand), a stoic, stubbornly independent widow who, having spent her adult life in a now-defunct company town, repurposes an old van and sets off in search of seasonal work.
Straight from its Golden Lion win at the Venice Film Festival and its Audience Award win at TIFF, this was definitely the biggest film of the festival going in and it absolutely delivered. Nomadland deserves every helping of praise its been getting and more.
It won’t surprise anyone who was already familiar with her last film, The Rider, but Chloe Zhao’s docufiction skills are, dare I say, unmatched in the world of independent film. Her secret is not so much a balance of the two, but rather an understanding that personal, human stories make for great movies already––all you need is just enough narrative tissue to keep everything moving. Though Nomadland has less narrative direction than The Rider, its vérité sensibilities are more amplified, to the point that the dichotomy between fiction and non-fiction can no longer be identified. Hell, it no longer even has a place, and it shouldn’t. It’s strange to call this film “sensational,” given that it is far from that in content but, on a filmic level, that is the word I keep coming back to. It is sensational to see such flawless blending of genre, such tact and humanity in capturing real human lives in a way that is so deeply and cinematically fulfilling.
Frances McDormand absolutely disappears in this movie. Well, almost. Admittedly, McDormand has the sort of immense talent and beloved personality that makes it a joy to be aware that you’re watching her. But maybe that ends up helping? Fern is a strongly written character through-and-through but it is McDormand’s dedicated participation in the film’s world, not to mention her universal appeal, that makes for a kind of on-screen alchemy. It is unlike any performance I have ever seen in a film previously and I am in awe of it. I’m sure she is on her way to a deserving third Oscar win, should the world not corrode before then. And maybe it’s time for Zhao to get her own as well. She’s definitely earned it.
And those were just the highlights! I haven’t even touched on the gorgeous production design of The Human Voice or the inquisitive dichotomy in Fauna’s storytelling, but I’m afraid none of us have the time to go through each and every film I’ve seen during NYFF58. Thankfully, we have another place to go for brief yet concise thoughts off the cuff––Twitter!
Follow me @TheLarryFried for more updates on my festival experience, including a potential drive-in appearance!! Can you guess which film I’m going to? Probably not, which is fine.
I also have a Letterboxd list where I am keeping track of my ratings for each film as well as all of the films I plan to see throughout the festival! Go follow me there and like the list so you can keep track of any and all updates.
Finally, of course, since you’ve already committed to two of my socials already (two socials!! that's big!!), you might as well subscribe to this blog. This is where the real party is, socially distanced of course.
Anyway, who’s ready for Week 2? Night of the Kings, Days, The Disciple, Her Name Was Europa…I am one spoiled cinephile. Which films will make it into next week’s highlights? We’ll have to find out, one rental at a time.