Tuesday, June 6, 2017

SIFF 2017: 'Landline' (2017) Capsule Review



Gillian Robespierre reteams with Jenny Slate, star of her debut feature Obvious Child, for her follow up, Landline. Likeable and fun, though less inclined to stick to the ribs, the story follows two mid-1990s sisters (Slate and Abby Quinn) who discover their father (John Turturro) is cheating on their mother (Edie Falco as good as she’s ever been).


Slate perfectly captures the post-college “what do I do now” anxiety and uncertainty, and Landline should, for Quinn, be a star-making turn—she takes over the screen from whoever has the misfortune to share it with her. Though perhaps not as memorable as its predecessor, Robespierre’s film remains charming and authentic, a touch nostalgic, and entirely relatable across many levels. It's worth watching for the relationship between the mother and daughters alone. [Grade: B]


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