Cinema Scholars concludes its coverage of the 2023 Tribeca Festival. We are pleased to bring you reviews and a brief synopsis of five more of the films that had their world premieres at this year’s event. Annually held in lower Manhattan, the Tribeca Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. If you missed the first part of our coverage of the festival, click here!
Stan Lee (2023) dir. David Gelb
David Gelb’s 2023 documentary, Stan Lee, manages to accomplish something that is somewhat difficult when it comes to comic book legend Stanley Martin Lieber, aka Stan Lee. He makes yet another documentary about the creative leader of Marvel Comics seem interesting. It’s a pretty neat trick considering the numerous books and visual documentaries that have been created over the years about the late Mr. Lee. What’s also neat is that Geld wisely incorporates the importance of Marvel’s two primary artists, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko, as well as the controversies and issues that developed between the trio.
In Stan Lee, we are introduced to Stanley Lieber’s humble but happy beginnings as the son of Romanian-Jewish immigrants. Growing up during the Great Depression in New York City, Lee, in 1939, Lee would eventually become an assistant at the newly formed Timely Comics. Its publisher, Martin Goodman, was married to Lee’s cousin, Jean. After two decades of working his way up the ladder, Lee became the creative driving force at Timely Comics when it transformed itself into Marvel Comics with the launch of The Fantastic Four. Ushering the “Marvel Age of Comics,” Lee transformed the genre by creating comic book characters that appealed to an older audience. Lee would remain the Chairman Emeritus of Marvel until his death in 2018.
Stan Lee sitting in his office in a scene from “Stan Lee” (2023). Photo courtesy of Disney+
If there’s one complaint that can be made about Stan Lee, it’s that this is the sanitized 90-minute version of Mr. Lee’s life. It’s also, for the most part, told directly from the mouth of Stan Lee. There are very few ‘talking heads’ in Gelb’s documentary. As a result, it’s largely one-sided and undisputed. It’s Stan Lee for the Disney crowd. Largely absent are the claims of sexual abuse in 2017, the claims of elder abuse in 2018, or the many lawsuits that Mr. Lee both filed and defended against throughout his years in the spotlight. Still, Gelb does a fine job putting together a briskly-paced and fascinating documentary on one of the most famous people in comic book history. For the uninitiated into the world of Stan Lee, it’s a solid starting point.
Stan Lee had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival on June 10, 2023, in the Spotlight Documentary section. Disney+ releases the film on June 16, 2023.
Eric Larue (2023) dir. Michael Shannon
Acclaimed actor Michael Shannon chose an extremely topical and sensitive subject to tackle as his directorial debut. The result is the sobering and stunning Eric Larue, which had its world premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Adapted from Brett Neveu’s 2002 play of the same name, the film centers on Janice (Judy Greer) and Ron (Alexander Skarsgård), two parents who are trying to put their lives back together after their son Eric (Nation Sage Henrikson) commits a horrific school shooting that leaves three classmates dead. Unlike other films and TV series of a similar nature, Eric Larue focuses almost solely on the parents. Their guilt and the various coping mechanisms that they both employ are front and center in Shannon’s gripping debut film.
Judy Greer in a scene from “Eric Larue” (2023). Photo courtesy of The Tribeca Festival.
Greer’s Janice spends much of the film, seeking forgiveness from the community-at-large as well as her husband. The result is a devastatingly raw performance from Greer who has never been better. Skarsgård is nearly unrecognizable here as Ron. The True Blood star has become an indie-film darling over the last few years. Here, he dives fully into a character that is lost, aimless, and looking for something to cling to as his marriage begins to fall apart. He finds it in religion and Lisa (Alison Pill), a woman he meets at his local church. Pill delivers a wild-eyed over-the-top performance that paints a damming picture of the influence that religion can have on people.
Eric LaRue has some first-time director issues. Specifically, the film’s pacing. The viewer is treated to volcanic exchanges between Greer and Skarsgård, followed by long periods of quiet reflection. The result is not easy to watch. Still, this is an important film with an award-worthy performance by Judy Greer. Shannon should be commended for tackling such a deep and intense subject for his directorial debut. Even though the blatant and heavy-handed handling of religious zealots is a bit much, this is by far one of the best films premiering at Tribeca.
Eric LaRue, a production of Big Cove Productions, Big Indie Pictures, and CaliWood Pictures, had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival on June 10, 2023
Blood for Dust (2023) dir. Rod Blackhurst
With comparisons to Hell or High Water (2016) and Breaking Bad, director Rob Blackhurst’s Blood for Dust is becoming the toast of this year’s Tribeca Festival. A traditional drug-running thriller, the film is also one of the best performances of Scoot McNairy’s career. McNairy portrays Cliff (pun intended), a traveling salesman in Montana, desperate to try and keep it together while providing for his family. Cliff runs into Ricky (Kit Harrington), a former colleague, who convinces Cliff that a traveling salesman is a perfect guise for running drugs for the local kingpin, John (Josh Lucas). In true Fargo-like style, things begin to spiral out of control quickly and violently as the pair, accompanied by a brooding and scary henchman (Ethan Suplee) drive a station wagon filled with heroin up the I-95 corridor.
Scoot McNairy and Kit Harrington in a scene from “Blood for Dust (2023). Photo courtesy of Falco, Ink.
There’s nothing particularly original about Blood for Dust, and that really doesn’t matter. It’s the performances, the terrific cinematography by Justin Derry, and the noir-like direction by Blackhurst that drive this film over the finish line. The various camera angles and muted landscapes that Derry and Blackhurst employ will immediately remind cinephiles of the Coen Brothers’ early work. Specifically, Fargo (1996) and Blood Simple (1984). Ethan Suplee and especially Josh Lucas chew up the dialogue and blend in perfectly with this bleak landscape. Saul Goodman would fit in well in this universe.
Blood for Dust is all about letting veteran genre actors cook. Ethan Suplee, Josh Lucas, Kit Harrington, and Stephen Dorff all have mustache-twirling scenes that more than makeup for the film’s somewhat thin plot. Director Rob Blackhurst, who’s known for his documentary features (Amanda Knox and John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise) takes his time building up the film’s inevitable climax. Much like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, the violence is so matter-of-fact that it makes it all the more jarring. David Ebeltoft’s screenplay, while somewhat lacking in originality is rock solid when it comes to writing dialogue. It’s an enjoyable watch and one of the must-see films at this year’s Tribeca Festival.
Blood for Dust had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival on June 11, 2023. The film is currently seeking distribution.
The Good Half (2023) dir. Robert Schwartzman
Grief seems to be a trend among the high-end films that are premiering at this year’s Tribeca Festival. That trend continues with Robert Schwartzman’s The Good Half. The film centers on Renn (Nick Jonas) as he flies back to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to attend the funeral of his beloved mother, Lily (Elizabeth Shue). While in mid-flight, he strikes up a conversation with Zoey (Alexandra Shipp), a therapist who is flying for a conference. The pair start flirting to the point of exchanging numbers. However, things aren’t quite right with Renn as he immediately starts to lie to Lily as to the real reason he’s returning home. Deflecting and repressing ever since Lily’s initial cancer diagnosis, Renn is headed for a confrontation with his family that will ultimately lead to his growth and maturation.
Nick Jonas, Matt Walsh, Brittany Snow, and Elisabeth Shue in a scene from “The Good Half” (2023). Photo courtesy of The Ranch Productions.
Screenwriter Brett Ryland does a fantastic job of blending humor with incredible moments of sadness that anyone who has lost a parent can relate to. Renn’s main defense mechanism of staving off the incredible loss he’s feeling is done via humor. Jonas does a fantastic job conveying this and he’s absolutely charming. It also helps that he has fantastic chemistry with just about everyone in the film. Especially his sister, Leigh (Brittany Snow). Renn’s stepfather, Rick (David Arquette) turns in a sleazy, but often hilarious performance. It’s the best work that Arquette has done in quite some time. Renn’s father (Matt Walsh) might be the most sympathetic character in the whole film as he’s divorced, sad, and only wants to reconnect with his son.
While The Good Halfcan pour on the sappy sauce a bit thick at times, it’s the film’s sub-plots that really energize the production. Especially in the second and third act. The back-and-forth bantering, arguing, and, yes, even joking, about how to plan a funeral is extremely relatable. The budding relationship between Renn and Zoey is tender and sweet. It’s when this talented cast is at its finest. The flashback scenes between Elizabeth Shue and Nick Jonas are heartfelt. Shue, an Oscar-nominated actor, for her stunning performance in Leaving Las Vegas (1995) delivers and warm and emotional performance. The Good Half, while a bit shmaltzy at times, tackles the difficult subject of death and grieving with aplomb.
The Good Half had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival on June 8, 2023, in the Spotlight Narrative category. The film is currently seeking distribution.
The Line (2023) dir. Ethan Berger
The history of the ‘frat house’ movie is a long and storied one. While Animal House (1978) may be the most famous, there have been plenty of others. The latest entry into this genre is Ethan Berger’s The Line. This time though, John Belushi is not telling jokes and starting food fights. This time around, Tom (Alex Wolff) is a sophomore member of the fictional southern college fraternity, Kappa Nu Alpha. While he’s somewhat annoyed by his gross and over-the-top roommate and frat brother, Mitch (Bo Mitchell), Tom realizes that this fraternity is his key to a more prestigious life, money, and privilege. This is all to his mother’s (Cheri Oteri) dismay who simply wants her son to get a decent education. The film is filled with all sorts of repugnant behavior. Heavy drug use. Racism. Sexism. Homophobia. It’s all there for the taking in Berger’s brutal portrayal of fraternity life for Generation Z.
The repulsive cast of “The Line” (2023). Photo courtesy of Tribeca 2023.
Berger, who co-wrote the script with Alex Russek after years of research into Greek life sets a dark and frightening tone as to what Greek life is really like. Quite frankly, it’s often horrifying to watch. It’s also a scathing diatribe of social class in the South and what one will do to climb the ladder. Considering how stereotypical most of the characters are in The Line, the actors all do a solid job of giving these abhorrent people depth and an actual fleshed-out arc. After her star-making turn in the most recent live-action version of The Little Mermaid, Halle Bailey turns in another strong performance as Annabelle, a classmate that Tom becomes close with and makes him question his continued service to the fraternity. Mitch’s over-the-top parents played by John Malkovich and Denise Richards are fun to watch in small supporting roles.
The Line is an impressive debut film for writer-director Berger and he puts this talented cast to good use. As repulsive as the hazing rituals are, the film is well-paced and, surprisingly, enjoyable to watch. Daniel Rossen’s score is eerie, unsettling, and quite apt for this type of storyline. The film’s excessive violence toward those who would be ‘brothers’ makes the viewer wonder what type of society we are that would ‘unofficially’ sanction this type of organized behavior in some of our most prestigious universities. Berger’s message is a strong one and makes one think that maybe it’s finally time for a change.
The Line had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival on June 9, 2023, in the Spotlight Narrative category. The film is currently seeking distribution.
The Tribeca 2023 Festival kicked off in New York City on June 7 and ran through June 18. We’ll be sure to bring you coverage from next year’s Festival!
