In the neighborhood of loneliness memory commands and in the narrows of confession shines the light of relief and redemption, on the other hand when difficulties pass, regrets become light as self-evident and spontaneous apologies.
In the movie Alone in New York Daddio, Girlie takes a cab from New York’s JFK Airport to Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan and strikes up a conversation with her cabbie Clark, played by Sean Penn. Standard courtesies and first introductory questions and answers quickly give way to a deeper conversation.
The dialogues between the arty girlie and the taxi driver are the backbone of the film. The dialogue flows revealing layers of their personalities, fears and past experiences. At first, their interaction feels casual, with Girlie making small talk and Clark responding with the practiced ease of someone who has spent years listening to the nonsense, bitterness and stories of his passengers. However, there is an underlying tension, curiosity and anxiety that drives their conversation deeper than the not-so-far journey and the confined and uncomfortable space of a car dictates.
The taxi becomes a microcosm of human history, with the New York cityscape acting as both a backdrop and a hero in the unfolding drama. The cinematography makes use of the limited space, turning the taxi into a dynamic setting that reflects the emotional states of the characters. The camera work is at times surgical, often focusing on Gurley and Clark’s faces, capturing the subtle changes in their subtle expressions as they delve into themes ranging from love and loss to dreams, disappointments and despair. But along with that there is an uncontrollable chatter that hurts the result and doesn’t let the film breathe.
Alone in New York Daddio, is written and directed by Christy Hall. The film, which the creator had originally envisioned as a play, premiered last year at the Toronto and Telluride festivals, while it is expected to be played at this year’s Tribeca festival. But the film also has a Greek interest, since the director of photography has been made by Oscar nominee Phaedon Papamichael.
The premise seems deceptively simple: a taxi ride from the airport to the city. However, what follows is far from an ordinary daily itinerary. The real strength of the film lies in its dialogues. The author’s writing is both poignant and realistic, allowing the characters to express their thoughts without resorting to clichés. While the intentions are interesting, the film never reaches the heights and goals set by its creator. Conversations are interspersed with moments of silence that are just as powerful, leaving us to welcome and absorb the weight of what has been said. These pauses also give the characters, and by extension us, time to reflect on their own lives.
Alone in New York is naturally a movie that relies heavily on the performances of its leads, and both Johnson and Penn deliver riveting performances. Johnson’s portrayal of Girlie balances strength, delicacy, and sensitivity, making her character palpable and compelling. Penn’s Clark is a study in restraint and insinuation, his measured performance revealing the depths of his character. With the good performances, the sharp dialogues and the layered direction, we have a smart, sensitive and at the same time challenging film that traverses the nighttime New York and the lives of the people with honesty, boldness and momentum although it sometimes gets lost in the labyrinthine paths of the narrative. .
The only court where the presumption of innocence does not apply is that of honest self-criticism. We know it, now, our mistakes are ugly corpses, because we never took care of them, never adorned them, never mourned them. We left them buried to remind us of our constant backsliding, our repeated slips, our countless defeats.
#York #Unfinished #Journey
