Or Something, 2024.
Directed by Jeffrey Scotti Schroeder.
Starring Mary Neely, Kareem Rahma, Brandon Wardell, and David Zayas.
SYNOPSIS:
Two strangers show up at a Brooklyn apartment to collect some cash that they’re owed. When they get redirected to pick up the money across town, they’re forced to spend the rest of the day together.
I’m not much of a fan of the portmanteau word dramedy, but given that it’s been around for well over a century (or so the Oxford English Dictionary tells me), I suppose the idea has had plenty of time to percolate.
Whatever my feelings about the word, it does lend itself to a quick description of this charming and artful entry into the New York world of cinematic pieces. The mixture of comedy and drama creates a heady brew in Or Something. A bittersweet rumination on internal hopes, dreams and views of the outside world, the film is beautifully shot and produced, with NYC captured colourfully.
The film takes us on a trip through New York with Olivia (Neely) and Amir (Rahma). After both showing up at the apartment of the unreliable Teddy (Brandon Wardell) to collect money that he owes them, and facing the problematic realisation that no money is forthcoming, they are forced to trek around town to find the intriguingly named Uptown Mike (a blistering turn from David Zayas), who, in turn, owes Teddy.
All of which is a thoroughly entertaining way to get us to hear Amir and Olivia talk to each other and reveal intimate details about their lives, and, possibly, exactly why they need the money. The film plays out a bit like a jazzy travelogue, with the two characters acting as amusing hosts.
Both have plenty of tales to tell, and as the journey takes them on the subway, enjoying a bite to eat at a diner and wandering through Central Park, we learn more about their various beliefs and motivations. They discuss sex and dating, life in the city, religion and death. Yes, they talk a lot and get through quite a few subjects. The independent dialogue-heavy picture won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those with an ear for sharp talk and wry observations, this is a quick (81-minute running time) trip to an empathic capturing of New York life.
Both Rahma and Neely wrote the film together, and this creative pairing may well have contributed to the winning chemistry at play. The likeable duo, with Olivia’s jaded downbeat take on modern life combining well with Amir’s essentially optimistic views, reveal the complexities at work in their private worlds.
I really liked the movie and think it plays out especially well in delving into the sort of funny headspace made possible by confiding in a stranger. The pair take turns talking to each other like possible friends or lovers, or even as a kind of therapist. Made only possible by the random vicissitudes of a megacity in full swing, the chance encounter of the two could be a profound chapter in their lives. A kind of anti-rom-com, you can’t help but watch it and hope for the best for the two of them, despite knowing full well that, hey, life doesn’t always work out that way.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
