Reviews
The Sublet
by Simi Horwitz
BACK STAGE (pick of the week)
The Sublet, by newcomer Georgiana Nestor, is an utterly charming independent film about a lonely and eccentric 71-year-old (Roger Hendricks Simon) who places a bogus ad in the paper stating his desire to sublet his apartment, a wonderfully dilapidated Upper West Side pad that hasn't seen a fresh coat of paint in decades. Walter, a vitamin-popping hypochondriac with a soft spot for cats, is hopeful that the forthcoming apartment seekers will be a diverting break from the bleak monotony of his existence. Not unexpectedly, an array of kooky characters streams through his home, including Maggie (Tiffany Lee), a pretty 19-year-old Poughkeepsie runaway who has her sights set on a New York singing career, and a hit man (Ross Pivec) determined to obtain the sublet for his nefarious purposes. ??The Sublet is largely a two-hander recounting the relationship between Walter and Maggie. Nothing erotic happens or is even implied, but it is a love story of sorts and, in the end, rather touching. The performances are superb. Most impressive is Simon, whose expressive face evokes the weary life of a retired civil servant and longtime widower still haunted by the memory of his late wife. Routine and anonymity are his greatest comforts. Hinting at an older Woody Allen -- or the kind of character Allen might play -- Simon creates a wholly sympathetic figure, a man breaking out of his self-imposed shell despite his better judgment. Lee is also superb as a gentle young woman who is at once Walter's granddaughter, companion, and almost -- but not quite -- his girlfriend. She brings a wholesome innocence to the part without ever appearing dimwitted. Pivec has a small role but is downright ominous as a blank-faced gun for hire. The backdrop also plays an important role. Arguably, the Big Apple's sweeping cityscapes, along with Walter's vivid apartment, become characters in this flick; credit must go to cinematographer Kamil Plocki and art director Basia Plewinska. But in the end, The Sublet is Nestor's achievement -- one that's all the more striking considering it's her first feature.
The Sublet
by Avi Offer
NYC MOVIE GURU
Walter (Roger Hendricks Simon), a 71-year-old widower, lives alone with his cat on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He leads a fairly mundane life until one day when he mistakenly receives a call from someone who’s looking for a sublet. In an attempt to make his life less mundane, he decides to place a fake ad for a sublet so that he could meet a variety of interesting people who knock at his door. Among those who respond to the ad is Maggie (Tiffany Lee), a 19-year old girl from Poughkeepsie who runs away from home to pursue a music career in New York City. Meanwhile, a hit man (Ross Pivec) breaks into Walter’s apartment in order to gain access to someone outside of the building whom he’s assigned to kill. Walter convinces Maggie to spend time with him to get to know her better. Throughout the course of 24 hours, Walter and Maggie develop a platonic friendship that makes both of their lives more lively and profound. Walter still hasn’t gotten over the death of his beloved wife whose photo lays framed in his apartment, although first-time director/co-writer Georgiana Nestor wisely doesn’t pound the audience over the head with that message and, instead, opts for a more graceful and subtle way of showing it. Nestor allows you to get to know Walter at the very beginning by introducing you to the many intricate details of his secluded lifestyle. Even the colors of the clothes that he wears look monotonous and mundane. Once Walter crosses paths with Maggie later on, you want him to find true happiness. Roger Hendricks Simon’s performance as Walter balances just the right amount of pathos, charisma and great comic timing so that you’re always captivated whenever he’s onscreen. He often seems like a less neurotic version of Woody Allen. The sequence when Walter meets a wide variety of potential tenants for the fake sublet and reacts to their eccentricities is laugh-out-loud funny and offbeat, especially when a gay couple show off their strange fetish for his refrigerator. It's also quite amusing and engaging to watch Walter and Maggie interact with one another and behave free-spiritedly. They both open each another's mind and heart in quietly poignant ways. The smart, sensitive screenplay by co-writers Georgiana Nestor and Gautama Kavuri expertly blends drama, comedy and suspense together in an unpredictable way that gives the film an offbeat, delightful and refreshing charm. At an ideal running time of 78 minutes, The Sublet doesn't overstay its welcome and ultimately manages to be a refreshingly original, witty and crowd-pleasing gem.