“I just wanted you to know getting to be around you and Benicio was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

First time seeing this since high school. Went in expecting something more infantile than memory served and found it to be surprisingly robust. A full display of impeccable craftsmanship, from the neon-soaked use of chiaroscuro lighting to the Kuleshovian use of Ryan Gosling’s face. On that note, I almost forgot how little dialogue this had, relying heavily on…

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT: On the heels of Hoodie’s completion and festival run, I was looking to do a new kind of project. Hoodies was a tightly scripted farcical genre piece. I wanted my next movie to be loose and down-to-earth.

I entered into this project with a story about subject matter that appealed to me - and still appeals to me: seeking connection. What is it like to long for someone who’s unattainable? How strongly can connections be forged through mere forces…