American Dreams, Australian Nightmares, and Canadian Comedy: Part One of The Chicago Critics Film Festival by Kyle Sanders
Every genre, from comedy to horror and animation to documentaries, is represented, with enough space left for not one, but TWO shorts’ programs! It's a fine mix that represents the festival's mission: to bring film enthusiasts together to hear new voices, witness new talents, and share their cinematic experiences so that others might feel persuaded to see these films, too. It's why I look forward to the festival every spring, so that I can share some of the notable titles I had the pleasure of seeing with all of you.
My festival experience kicked off on Saturday, starting with Daniel Roher's hugely entertaining Tuner. Musically gifted Niki White (Leo Woodall) earns a living tuning pianos thanks to his heightened sense of hearing. While on a late-night assignment, he crosses paths with a group of burglars, who realize his unique auditory condition is perfect for cracking safes. At first, he's reluctant to help them, but when his mentor (played with effortless charm by Dustin Hoffman) falls ill and can't afford to pay the medical expenses, Niki finds himself getting pulled into increasingly dangerous territory. The striking sound design plunges your ears into Niki's world, but it's the top-notch performances and thrilling story that'll keep your eyes glued to the screen.
Continuing with the crime theme, Carolina Caroline takes a different approach, this time focusing on a small-town Texas girl with big dreams. Played by Samara Weaving of the Ready or Not franchise, she falls under the spell of a charming grifter, played by Kyle Gallner, and sets out on a road trip across the American Southeast, robbing banks while on a quest to find the mother she never knew. A cross between Bonnie & Clyde and Crossroads, director Adam Carter Rehmeier's film is soaked with patriotic imagery, like bright flashes of red panties barely hidden under drapes of blue denim, with the cheap thrill of stealing from the white-collared teat of corporate America. And with a stacked soundtrack filled with wide-ranging country singers, the film becomes a joyride that breezily switches gears from clever rom-com to tense heist flick.
After a much-needed dinner break, the last two screenings of the day were two queer-centric titles. The first was a welcomed return from writer/director Gregg Araki, with I Want Your Sex. This erotic comedy focuses on Elliot, a naïve young man played by Cooper Hoffman, who jumps at the chance to work for the provocative artist Erika Tracy, played by Olivia Wilde, as a sexy reinterpretation of Norma Desmond. It's not long before Tracy takes him on as her latest sexual muse. What begins as a thrilling and titillating journey for Elliot soon turns messy in this "Sunset Boulevard for Gen Z" that's as campy as it is colorful.
Finally, the night concluded with Leviticus, an Australian horror film that takes on gay teen love and the horrific ways that modern Christianity attempts to erase it. When two teenage boys are outed in their conservative-minded community, a "deliverance man" is hired to cast out the supposed demon responsible. Yet it's not long until they discover that their absolution has linked them to a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire the most: each other. Finding no help from conniving friends or indifferent parents, the boys must find a way to protect themselves, even if it means avoiding one another in the process. It's a moody, atmospheric film with a brutal uneasiness that lingers throughout, reminiscent of another horror film from down under: 2022's Talk to Me.
The two films I watched from Sunday's lineup seemed to involve themes of early beginnings and second acts. First up, Nick Davis’s You Had to Be There. This documentary focuses on the 1972 Toronto production of Godspell, the musical retelling of the Book of Matthew from Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak, that became a sensation during one of those "tumultuous times" in our continuously tumultuous history. What made this production so special was the cast of fresh faces that would later go on to big, highly influential careers, particularly in comedy. With interviews from its surviving cast—an all-star roster including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, and Dave Thomas, as well as music director Paul Shaffer—plus sweet sentiments regarding the late Gilda Radner, this infectiously warm documentary gives you a ringside seat to a production nearly lost to time, plus an illegally recorded audio, thanks to the ever-mischievous Martin Short.
Up next was Late Fame. Directed by Kent Jones.This drama finds forgotten New York poet Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) with newfound appreciation from a group of eccentric young creative types who want him to be part of their upcoming artist's salon. At first, he's skeptical, having had his moment decades ago that has since evolved into a more modest lifestyle. But with further prodding from an alluring actress (Greta Lee), the group convinces him to contribute a new piece. Yet in a capitalistic society where artists are milked from every angle for potential profit, Saxberger struggles with his creative process in a world he no longer recognizes. With strong performances from Dafoe and Lee, this quiet drama tackles the modern fears of the art world, commenting on the differences between tastemakers and influencers, trust-fund-babies-turned-aspiring-artists, and how being rediscovered can be just as vital (if not lucrative) to one's career as being discovered.
Coming up in the second half of the fest: films tackling climate change, black zombies, Marianne Faithfull, and more! The Chicago Critics Film Festival continues through May 7th!