Blindspotting

Directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and written and co-starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, Blindspotting is the story of a parolee with three days left of his sentence as his freedom is suddenly threatened when he witnesses a police shooting. The film is an exploration of a man who is trying to stay out of trouble as he finds himself witnessing something he shouldn’t have seen. Also starring Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cepha Jones, Ethan Embry, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Wayne Knight. Blindspotting is an offbeat yet compelling film from Carlos Lopez Estrada.

Set in Oakland, the film revolves around a young man who is three days away from finishing up his probation sentence as he had witnessed a police shooting as he spends the next three days trying to stay out of trouble despite the presence of his reckless best friend. It’s a film that plays into a few days in the life of an African-American man who went to prison after assaulting someone outside a bar as he was in prison for 2 months and spent a year living in a halfway house as probation as he’s just 3 days away from finishing his sentence. Then one night as he’s returning to the halfway house, he witnesses a policeman chasing a young African-American and shoots him as it leads to not just terror but also paranoia leaving him uneasy for the next two days of his sentence. The film's screenplay by Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal doesn’t just explore a friendship between this African-American felon and his reckless white friend but also how this incident involving a police shooting would threaten their friendship.

Collin Hoskins (Daveed Diggs) is trying his best to stay out of trouble while working as a mover with his best friend Miles Turner (Rafael Casal) who has a wife and child but still likes to do reckless activities including purchasing a handgun. Hoskins is also trying to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend/boss Val (Janina Gavankar) who believes that Turner is becoming erratic not just because of his wild behavior but also in the growing gentrification of Oakland with more upper-middle class people emerging that includes changing the ingredients of his favorite fast food burger. Yet, Hoskins becomes more uneasy as he has bad dreams and hallucinations about what he had seen as the days of his probation ending starts to get him unsure.

Carlos Lopez Estrada’s direction does have elements of style yet also captures some realism as it relates to this growing gentrification of Oakland as it is shot on location in the city to showcase a loss of identity and changing times. Estrada does use a lot of wide and medium shots to establish the location as well as in some of the conversations in the latter where Estrada also showcase this ever-changing world where two men are struggling to hold on to their own identity but also deal with an incident that one of them had seen as he is wondering if he’s next to die in the hands of the police. Estrada also uses some close-ups to play into a few moments in the conversations as well as these moments that play up this growing tension that would agitate Turner such as a party held by a hipster where an African-American guest accost Turner for acting black unaware that Turner is who he is because he’s been living in the inner city for many years as the confrontation becomes violent. Estrada also play into Hoskins’ own guilt and fear as it would be unveiled in some strange and surreal dream sequences and hallucinations that include a daily routine of Hoskins as he wakes up at 6:25 AM, jogs into the same cemetery street, and then go to work.

Estrada does employ some humor in the way Turner tries to make some extra money but also in the way he reacts towards gentrification and some of the people Turner and Hoskins meet whose things they have to bring for the move. There is also this darkly-comic scene as it relates to how Hoskins got in trouble as it’s told by someone who recognized Hoskins from that incident as it is told in a humorous offbeat manner. Yet, it is a reminder of what Hoskins is dealing with as the film’s climax does relate to the incident he saw as the composition of the shooting is unique as the victim is shown from the perspective of the moving van’s side mirror with Hoskins on the driver seat seeing everything including the officer who shot this man. It also play into not just what Hoskins had been dealing with in the past few days but also an aftermath where he could mistreated unfairly by the police with Turner starting to get a dose of reality of what his best friend is facing with. Overall, Estrada crafts a riveting and evocative film about a man’s probation sentence coming to an end as he deals with a troubling police shooting he witnessed and his best friend’s erratic behavior.

Cinematographer Robby Baumgartner does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it does have some style in the way some of the interiors and exteriors at night are lit including a few bars and a car of one of the friends of Turner and Hoskins while a lot of the daytime scenes are straightforward. Editor Gabriel Fleming does terrific work with the editing as it does have some element of style in the rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and humor as well as its usage of montages. Production designer Tom Hammock, with set decorator Alex Brandenburg and art director Susan Alegria, does fantastic work with the look of some of the places Hoskins and Turner go to as well as the home of the latter and the bodega they often go to every morning. Costume designer Emily Batson does nice work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with the exception of some of the more stylish clothing from the hipsters that Hoskins and Turner encounter.

Special effects supervisor Matt Heron and visual effects supervisor Takashi Takeoka do amazing work with some of the visual effects as it relates to the incident that got Hoskins arrested as well as bits of set-dressing in some parts of the city. Sound editor Andy Hay and sound designer Jeffrey A. Pitts do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations including a few parties as well as some of the sound effects that occur in Hoskins’ nightmares. The film’s music by Michael Yezerski creates a brilliant music soundtrack that largely consists of hip-hop inspired beats and electronic textures while music supervisor Jonathan McHugh create a soundtrack that play into the world that is Oakland that largely consists of hip-hop music from Mac Dre, Moe Green, Damey, Clyde Carson featuring the Team, J. Stalin, Kehlani, Max Schneider, Maxwell D, Mistah F.A.B., the Federation, Jenneh Bell, Thompson Davin Do D.A.T., Krazy Bone, D-Lo, and Fantastic Negrito along with pieces by Tower of Power, Anthony Hamilton, and Giuseppe Verdi.

The casting by Kimberly Hardin and Nina Henninger is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Wayne Knight as an art photographer, Tisha Campbell-Martin as a salon owner who is suspicious of what Turner is selling, Leland Orser as the judge at the film’s opening scene, Justin Chu Cary as a guy picking up something at the moving building, Ziggy Baitinger as Turner’s son Sean, Travis Parker as the young man shot down by the police, and Utkarsh Ambudkar as a moving customer who had witnessed Hoskins beating up someone outside a bar as he tells it in a comical manner. Ethan Embry is superb as the police officer who shot the young man during a chase as he brings a chilling presence in his brief appearance that would include the film’s climax.

Jasmine Cepha Jones is fantastic as Turner’s wife Ashley as a young woman who is trying to be a good mom despite putting up with her husband’s antics as she has a great scene that involves a handgun that Turner bought as it play into how reckless Turner is. Janina Gavankar is excellent as Val as Hoskins’ former girlfriend/boss who is reluctant to reconnect with him due to Turner whom she feels is going to get him in serious trouble while is hoping that Hoskins gets out of probation. Rafael Casal is brilliant as Miles Turner as a white man trying to do his job and provide for his family yet becomes uneasy by this growing gentrification of his town as he acts out while trying to make money despite the fact that he can be irresponsible at times though he does have some morals. Finally, there’s Daveed Diggs in an amazing performance as Collin Hoskins as a man trying to finish his probation sentence as he becomes troubled by a police shooting he witnessed as well as events in his past and his best friend’s erratic behavior as it is an understated performance that also has moments of rage and anger that showcase Diggs at his finest.

Blindspotting is a phenomenal film from Carlos Lopez Estrada that features two great performances from its writers Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal. Along with its supporting cast, its study of racial identity in the inner city, its look on gentrification, a cool music soundtrack, and gorgeous visuals. It’s a film that explores a man trying to finish his probation as he copes with uncertainty in the inner city about himself but also his best friend who often puts him and himself into trouble amidst the gentrification of their home. In the end, Blindspotting is an incredible film from Carlos Lopez Estrada.

© thevoid99 2020

Mistress America

Directed by Noah Baumbach and written by Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, Mistress America is the story of a young college student who moves to New York City where she would meet her future step-sister who takes her on an adventure around the city. The film is an exploration into a young woman coping with trying to fit in as she would find herself living through her future stepsister whom she would get close to. Starring Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke, Heather Lind, Cindy Cheung, and Kathryn Erbe. Mistress America is a charming and witty film from Noah Baumbach.

The film plays into a college student who goes to Columbia to become a writer as she has trouble fitting in until she decides to meet a woman in her late-20s who is about to become her step-sister where the two hang as the student finds inspiration for her own writing. It’s a film where this young woman would live through the whirlwind life of an older woman who dreams of opening her own restaurant and do other things as she would also try to help her. Especially as the two are in need to do something in their lives as they cope with love affairs and ambition. It’s a film that plays into the world of growing up as it is largely told from the perspective of Tracy Fishko (Lola Kirke) who is a freshman trying to make it as a writer but awkward attempts to socialize and such would get him some disdain from fellow students and such. It’s until she meets Brooke (Greta Gerwig) where Tracy’s life changes.

The film’s screenplay by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach explores these two women who are both in a state of transition as Tracy is trying to find herself as a person and as a writer while Brooke is trying to raise money to open a restaurant as she does all sorts of things. Even as Tracy is desperate to join the college’s school magazine as her first attempts were poor but she would find a muse in Brooke and later help Brooke with all of these situations as it would include confronting an old nemesis who Brooke claims had taken some of her ideas. The film would feature some witty dialogue that plays into Brooke’s persona as she is this person that likes to think and talk fast while being very excited yet is also flawed as she can’t cope with aspects of reality or negativity. Most notably in the film’s third act where she and Tracy go to Connecticut to meet with an old friend where a lot of drama happens.

Baumbach’s direction is quite simple as a lot of it is shot in New York City where it is set during the autumn where Tracy is experiencing her first semester. Much of it showcases a sense of awkwardness in its approach to humor as it relates to Tracy’s attempt to socialize where she has a roommate who doesn’t like her and is seen as a weirdo by some. With his simple approach to close-ups and medium shots, Baumbach maintains something that is intimate as well as something that feels loose which plays into Brooke’s lively personality. The city itself is a character as much of it is presented in very low colors to play into the season as opposed to the scenes set in Connecticut where it’s kind of surreal and more colorful. It plays into the kind of world that Brooke and Tracy aren’t exactly familiar with as they’re both facing a much harsher reality where it does become comical but with a sense of cynicism into how these two young women conduct themselves with their lives and desires in life. Overall, Baumbach creates a compelling yet funny film about two young women coping with reality and growing up in New York City.

Cinematographer Sam Levy does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with its emphasis on low-key colors and lighting for scenes at night to play into the feeling of New York City in the autumn without being too vibrant or colorful with the exception of the scene set in Connecticut. Editor Jennifer Lame does fantastic work with the editing with its inspired usage of jump-cuts and other montage-cutting style that plays into the frenetic energy of New York City and college life. Production designer Sam Lisenco, with set decorator Katie Hickman and Ashley Fenton, does amazing work with the look of the apartment loft that Brooke lives in as well the empty place for her restaurant and the home of her old friends in Connecticut.

Costume designer Sarah Mae Burton does nice work with the costumes from the beret that Tracy wears to the more stylish clothes that Brooke wears. Sound editor Paul Hsu does terrific work with the sound as it‘s low-key where it captures moments that happen on location as well as a few moments that are very comical. The film’s music by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips is brilliant for its dream-like score that is a mixture of lush electronic pieces with jangly guitars to play into something that is more akin to college music of the 1980s while music supervisor George Drakoulias would provide a soundtrack that is more diverse that features music from Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, Paul McCartney, Ace of Base, Toto, Hot Chocolate, Suicide, and Frederic Chopin.

The casting by Douglas Aibel is great as it features appearances from Dean Wareham as a neighbor of Brooke’s old friends in Connecticut, Mickey Sumner as a woman who looks like Brooke, Cindy Cheung as pregnant guest of Brooke’s old friend Mamie-Claire who Tracy’s friends befriend, Michael Chernus as Brooke’s former boyfriend Dylan who would give her some advice about her career, Heather Lind as Dylan’s wife and Brooke’s old friend Mamie-Claire who is a representation of who Brooke doesn’t want to be, and Kathryn Erbe as Tracy’s mother who would suggest for Tracy to meet Brooke. Jasmine Cephas Jones is terrific as a classmate of Tracy who is very suspicious that her boyfriend Tony is falling for Tracy. Matthew Shear is superb as Tony as a writing classmate of Tracy that is impressed with her writing but is consumed with his own life while dealing with the reality that he might not be as good.

Lola Kirke is brilliant as Tracy as this young college freshman who is trying to find herself in her new surroundings as she copes with her social awkwardness and what she wants to do as a writer as it’s just a real breakthrough for Kirke. Finally, there’s Greta Gerwig in an amazing performance as Brooke as a woman in her late 20s that beats to her own drum as she is a vivacious in the way she talks and lives while is someone who is unable to deal with reality when it comes at her face as it’s a very complex and funny performance from Gerwig.

Mistress America is a phenomenal film from Noah Baumbach that features incredible performances from Greta Gerwig and Lola Kirke. It is a film that plays into the world of young women trying to find themselves trying to find out what to do as well as face the harsh realities of the world. Especially as it’s a film that is very smart as well as being very funny in the way life is. In the end, Mistress America is a sensational film from Noah Baumbach.

Noah Baumbach Films: Kicking and Screaming - Highball - Mr. Jealousy - The Squid & the Whale - Margot at the Wedding - Greenberg - Frances Ha - While We're Young - De Palma - The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) - Marriage Story - (White Noise (2022 film)) - The Auteurs #41: Noah Baumbach

© thevoid99 2015