Will Sorg-
Coming-of-age films have been a staple of American cinema for almost as long as Americans have made movies. Through the years, each generation has had its own cultural landmarks when it comes to these movies. The Breakfast Club, Superbad, and even more contemporary ones like Ladybird all reflect the times they were made in and often serve as a time capsule for the experience of growing up in the era it was made. The Sweet East is like a coming-of-age horror story.
Now the film is not a horror film, even if there are some scenes that kind of feel like that, but neither is it your conventional teen drama. The film is a satire dramedy directed by Sean Price Williams, starring the talented Talia Ryder and a cavalcade of freaks to accompany her on her journey through the American East Coast. Ryder plays Lillian, a high school senior who breaks away from her school trip to Washington DC after a restaurant shooting forces her to escape through an impossible hidden tunnel in the restaurant. If that sounds almost too over the top, then you would be right. What follows is essentially Lillian wandering from place to place and the people she meets along the way. These people just happen to be insane.
The film’s colorful cast of supporting characters is easily one of the best parts. There are so many standout characters: an indie filmmaker, played by the always wonderful Ayo Edebiri, a secret neo-nazi college professor, and even famed singer Nick Cave’s son playing an anarchist with an uncomfortable amount of piercings on his penis. The film shifts wildly in tone and setting constantly and it is an impressive juggling act to make all of these disparate characters and sequences work together cohesively. Lillian is the glue that holds these disparities together.
It becomes overwhelmingly clear early on that Lillian is not upset by her seemingly forced exodus from her normal life. Rather, she seems desperate not to return home for as long as possible. This ambition for independence is never said outright but rather colors her every interaction. She’s a sponge for experiences, soaking up quirks from other characters and constantly changing her intentions. Talia Ryder plays Lillian with just enough ambiguity that she’s always interesting. Even still, Ryder’s physical acting is impressively able to convey emotions and thoughts. Without saying much at all about herself, we still know exactly who she is.
As much as the film is absurd, it does have some genuine commentary on growing up in modern America. The film is shot on 16-millimeter film stock, which makes the visuals very grainy. The film grain, the warm tones of the film’s color palette, and the handheld camera creates a very personal viewing experience. At times it is documentary-like, deeply interested in documenting the kind of surreal alienation felt by young people growing up in America. The absurdity helps to highlight that some of the scenarios Lillian is put in are not as insane as one might think. There’s a lot to be afraid of as a teenager in America and in a lot of scenes, Lillian’s age and gender certainly tinges her interactions with specific characters. It’s a strange strange movie but even if the weirdness isn’t a plus (for me it is), this film is an underseen little gem from last year that I’m glad I caught and I hope I’ve put it on your radar too.