Written and directed by Theodore Schaefer, co-written by Patrick Lawler, three seemingly disconnected stories unfold across New York City. Gus Birney stars as Violet, a jaded arcade worker, Sinopia, an upper-class professor bored with her marriage, and Jade, an endlessly cool young woman who decides to help a stranger out of her debt. Meanwhile, a woman with a suitcase (Constance Shulman) moves through the city in search of the doppelganger trying to take over her life. Also starring: Daniel Zolghadri, Jack Haven, John Early, Roberta Colindrez, Haley Rawson, Clifton Samuels, Reed Birney and Dylan Baker.
If you bring to mind the image of quintessential indie, American, NYC cinema, something like The Arrow at Rest at Every Instant of its Flight will undoubtedly be what you picture. You can immediately feel how Theodore Schaefer is paying homage to the cinematic history of the city. Tapping into that old-school NY style, employing the black and white, having the characters wander the streets, giving it a restless energy, then adding in a curious, inscrutable edge. It throws back to the 1970s, it draws influence from filmmakers like Cassavetes and Jarmusch, and Schaefer doesn’t feel a need to strictly stick to reality, which brings through a theatrical touch, another NYC homage.
Another thing that Schaefer does is include a lot of familiar indie faces, who are all a joy to see, from John Early to Roberta Colindrez to Dylan Baker and more, their influence really portrays the big indie heart of The Arrow at Rest at Every Instant of its Flight, which for an independent cinema fan is utterly charming. Schaefer’s style holds a captivating quality, there’s a chaotic or manic quality which keeps you hooked. There’s also a tonne of personality at work both with the visual stylings and the performances.
With the majority of that coming from Gus Birney who’s on triple duty here, bringing three very different women while her performance remains consistently excellent throughout. She’s effortless to watch, smart, funny and quick. Considering The Arrow at Rest at Every Instant of its Flight is only eighty-one-minutes long, you could definitely happily spend a lot longer watching Birney explore countless NYC characters.
Of course, the film is also a family affair, with both of Birney’s actor parents Constance Shulman (Orange is the new Black) and Reed Birney (Mass) making appearance, as well as her cousin Albert Birney (Obex). They’re all wonderful additions, particularly Shulman who has such a strong presence, but there’s really no weak link here. Daniel Zolghadri, Jack Haven, John Early and Roberta Colindrez are also all great choices, Colindrez in particular has a fantastic scene with Gus Birney.
The Arrow at Rest at Every Instant of its Flight is curious, funny, fervent and a touch feverish. It’s quintessential indie film, taking so many influences from the greats to create an entertaining, original, unusual piece of cinema. It’s such an eclectic mix of characters and yet they all blend together so well, particularly because the film is led by Gus Birney who is wonderful, three times over, in this. It’s well written, it’s got a great pace and comes in a nicely tight eighty-one minutes, the visual style is strong, it makes the most of its NYC setting, creating a good hit of nostalgia. It’s engaging, just the right amount of strange, and full of personality. If you enjoy this one, be sure to also check out Theodore Schaefer‘s debut feature Giving Birth to a Butterfly.
FilmCarnage.com 