Tim Sutton | Berlin International Film Festival 2020

Its a time of upheaval and unrest in Brooklyn. Its citizens are threatened by a rich real estate mogul who wants to demolish neighbourhoods to build car parks. Saul’s grandparents are two people facing this threat, and he feels he must take drastic action to stop it. Along the way he meets Zama, a young Muslim woman discovering her identity, and the two develop a deep bond. Its like Taxi Driver and Joker- but with a surprisingly sweet romance.

The best part of this film is the relationship between the two leads. Saul and Zama are very endearing characters (played by Cosmo Jarvis and Dela Meskienyar) and their relationship is incredibly engaging from the second they meet. In fact the two characters are both very interesting on their own. Zama’s journey of discovery about herself is fascinating. Cosmo Jarvis puts in a great performance, as a man who is childlike- kind and obsessed with the Knicks- but capable of outbursts of frustration and rage. It’s genuinely heartwarming watching them get to know each over.

I could have watched a full film that just focused on the interactions between these two- but no, there’s an unnecessary villain. The film drags every time we focus on Jonny Lee Miller’s cartoonish businessman. His acting is over the top, his dialogue lacks any subtlety- he feels like he’s in a different film to the rest of the characters. A bit where he just shouts ‘MONEY’ repeatedly is a real highlight. I like the storyline of young people being frustrated and seeking vengeance on those in power. I just think the film would have been much improved if the threat of gentrification was a faceless villain- a presence that loomed over the film but wasn’t embodied by a specific character.

This was a good take on the Taxi Driver/ Joker model, but it was held back by spending far too much time with an unnecessary villain. While the leads show us a realistic and awkward romance between two young people, the antagonist is taken straight out of a bottom tier superhero movie. It’s true strengths lie in it’s quieter moments.