TONY Starring: Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall, Stavros Halkias, Michael Jibrin, and Monica Raymund Director: Matt Johnson NICK Aside from knowing he was a chef and learning about his untimely death, my knowledge of Anthony Bourdain was very limited. Tony , however, made me want to learn more about him, which is the best compliment I can give. By focusing on Bourdain's culinary origins, director Matt Johnson is able to tell his story as a compelling coming-of-age tale that works tremendously well. With a career-best performance from Dominic Sessa as Bourdain and a sincere turn from Antonio Banderas as his de facto father figure (both men deserve award recognition), Tony is a success across the board and highlights Johnson’s limitless possibilities as a director. ADRIANO Tony exemplifies what I want from a biopic. I don’t have much interest in Anthony Bourdain (played perfectly with young greaseball energy by Dominic Sessa), yet this film had me intrigued by his upbringing and what made him who he became. Instead of the annoying “here are the things he did” approach, director/co-writer Matt Johnson opts for a profound but endlessly entertaining coming-of-age story about being young, stupid, and realizing you don’t have it figured out yet. That it happens to be about Bourdain is just a bonus. Paired with excellent cinematography in every frame, Matt Johnson is two-for-two in 2026. AMARÚ Tony is dirty, grungy, and the epitome of Anthony Bourdain: the asshole we can’t help but gravitate towards. The fact that Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol can successfully go from directing and composing the hilariously silly Nirvanna movie to something this somber shows they have a true handle on their voice; this film’s voice is rooted in both soul and suffering. It has a darkness that will resonate with many people, but underneath it all is a hope, warmth, and passion that will resonate even more. Dominic Sessa channels all that summed up Bourdain, body and mind, and helps deliver a melancholic yet entertaining film. KATIE Tony is less of a biopic and more of an unconventional coming-of-age story. Though it incorporates familiar elements from those types of narratives, namely love, loss, and life lessons, it never feels generic or too predictable. Dominic Sessa is fantastic as Anthony Bourdain, earning every bit of character development, and his performance ensures Bourdain is neither too unlikeable nor too forgiving. Plus, Antonio Banderas, in some of his most impressive English-language work, gives a scene-stealing performance. The cinematography also is immersive, looking gorgeous yet understated and like a perfectly sun-kissed 1970s. And, most importantly, it’s always entertaining. ROBERT Unless you have three-plus hours, trying to compile all of a person's important life events into a cohesive and entertaining biopic is foolhardy. Tony handles this conundrum with aplomb by focusing on a small yet important cross-section of someone’s life and building up character. If you’re aware of Anthony Bourdain, played by Dominic Sessa with tireless, rebellious energy, you see the indelible traits sprinkled throughout that were prominent in his real life. If you aren’t familiar, you get a wonderfully composed snapshot in time of a man trying to figure himself out during a post-Vietnam, 1970s America. Director Matt Johnson knows his business well: trailblazing misanthropes. BODE The thing to note about Tony is that it’s only barely a biopic. While director Matt Johnson - working with some A24 money this time - does take a page from the early days of Anthony Bourdain, it almost never comes off like he’s going through your typical “making of the legend” arc. It’s mostly content being a breezy, chaotic, and melancholy hangout movie, and Johnson hits those beats quite capably - getting great performances out of his cast (Antonio Banderas and Leo Woodall especially shine), and utilizing some great period-accurate needle drops in the process. It’s a solid maturation for the Nirvanna filmmaker all around.

THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE Starring: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nonso Anozie, Billie Gadsdon, Phoenix Laroche, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Nicola Coughlan, and Rebecca Ferguson Director: Ben Gregor AMARÚ Andrew Garfield is such a charming actor, and kicking off The Magic Faraway Tree with his wondrous charisma gets you invested in the whimsical family adventure to come. The magic of imagination is on high display, creating some cool, fantastical lands and teaching impactful lessons about family and connection. There’s plenty of silliness to go around, so if that’s not for you, then neither is this film; however, the entire cast is all-in on the fun and fantasy, making for a heartfelt film for all ages to enjoy. Faraway Tree is a cute watch that I’d gladly show to the little one in my life. ROBERT The template for the ideal film is fluid, dependent on the genre it occupies. I think of the family films I grew up with, and those that resonated had a layer of darkness wedged in between the lighter themes. The Magic Faraway Tree lives in a land of blissful wonder, which may be fun for some but is rather goofy for me. I couldn’t help looking at Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, and especially Rebecca Ferguson and thinking that it was a waste of their talents and charisma. The message of “kids should use their imaginations more” wasn’t conveyed uniquely enough to not seem trite and, frankly, wooden.

INFINITY POOL Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, Jalil Lespert, and Thomas Kretschmann Director: Brandon Cronenberg NICK Director Brandon Cronenberg has similar film sensibilities to his father, so you have an idea what you’re in for with his features. However, with Infinity Pool , the director’s more experimental aspects tend to work against the flow of an otherwise intriguing film. I’m all for shocking your audience, but such scenes work best when they advance the story. Some of the ones here feel like they were made solely to provide shock value, making them unnecessary. Besides that, Mia Goth provides another powerhouse showing - her third in a row - and although the film struggles to maintain its early momentum, it did enough to keep me invested. JACOB Infinity Pool is delightfully asymmetrical and weird right up to the point that it isn’t, and that’s where it ultimately lost me. For about 88% of the runtime, I was on board, ready for whatever director Brandon Cronenberg had in store for me and the film’s stars, especially the beautifully unhinged Mia Goth, who owns the whole movie. Unfortunately, it never really becomes anything more than surface-level intrigue, leaving the audience with a sense of interest but no ultimate satisfaction. Perhaps that is the point of the whole enterprise, but it’s a point best alluded to rather than experienced. PAIGE Infinity Pool is a film that could only possibly come from someone with the last name Cronenberg, as it delivers twisted originality and disturbing nightmarish imagery. With its underlying themes of privilege, the first half of the film immerses you in an intriguing story that eventually goes off the rails with a bonkers second half that will leave you pondering, “what the fuck did I just witness?” It’s a wild ride that won’t sit right with everyone, but there is no denying that it allows Mia Goth to once again prove she is a force to be reckoned with. DARRYL Infinity Pool is a mess of a movie. Now, within that mess are hints at something good, possibly great, but director Brandon Cronenberg seems to be more in love with the idea of creating something off-kilter than telling an actual story. Alexander Skarsgård's performance is passable as a man lost in hedonism, while Mia Goth's unhinged insanity somehow fluctuates between amazing and downright lousy. Lacking the usual amount of body horror that audiences have come to expect from the name Cronenberg, this film instead chooses to skate by on its ambience, which doesn't always work in its favor.

SENTIMENTAL VALUE Starring: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning Director: Joachim Trier ADRIANO Sentimental Value's impact is an interesting one because it took me a minute to fully get hit by the film's multi-layered writing. While watching it, I was taken aback by Joachim Trier's direction; however, his writing, while grounded and interesting in its depiction of a broken family, didn't get that stunning realization out of me until I considered Trier was saying that, like a home, a family is something that will forever need to be worked on. Pair that with exceptional performances and ambitious filmmaking, and Trier has created another beautiful instant classic. NICK I'm not sure why Sentimental Value didn’t work as well for me as it did for others. The performances are great, the story is tight and well thought out, and I have no real qualms about Joachim Trier's direction. Yet, I didn’t emotionally connect to this story in any way. Whether it’s the focus on generational trauma, making up for lost time, or simply the bond of family, I never found myself moved. It’s all a fairly mundane affair, and while Trier succeeded in making the characters feel like a real-life fractured family, they just weren’t a family I could fully invest in. AMARÚ The highest compliment I can give Sentimental Value is that it’s an easy watch. When films explore such complicated familial relationships, especially in conjunction with the entertainment industry, they can easily become so heavy that you’re waiting for the tragic beauty to end. But the dreamlike disjointedness in which Joachim Trier directed this had me breezily enraptured in its humanity. While many will talk about Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, and Stellan Starsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas stole my heart, reinforcing how deeply I cared for the family at the center, whose conflicts I’d gladly revisit again. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Starring: Pedro Pascal, Jeremy Allen White, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Blum, and Martin Scorsese Director: Jon Favreau NICK I haven't been as down on Disney's Star Wars content as others, but Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grog u (why wasn't this called A Star Wars Story ?) leans into all the aspects of recent Star Wars that have turned people off. Feeling like a filler episode of Clone Wars , I don't know who this is really for. A few charming Grogu and Anzellan moments aren't able to make up for the confusing voice-over work, weak antagonist, and lack of character or story development. Worst of all, there’s no defined path forward for these characters. So, it all feels rather pointless. ADRIANO It’s been seven years since the last Star Wars movie, and the once epic event saga has turned completely into content. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is barely even a movie. It’s nothing more than a series of semi-related sidequests, which works for the format of a show, but in a movie, it results in a lack of character motivation or narrative coherence. More than that, this couldn’t even maintain the heart that made the show work, nor was the action entertaining in any way. And above all, it’s such an unbelievable eyesore. This is NOT the way. AMARÚ Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is an exciting adventure propelled by excellent action set pieces, from varied hand-to-hand combat, to well-choreographed gun fights, and dynamically shot spaceship battles. Focusing early on the battle-tested aura of Mando (Pedro Pascal) allows for Grogu’s time on screen to feel more like a partnership than a gimmick, and creates a fun time that works for the entire family. It doesn’t move the Star Wars universe forward, but that shows why “Season Four” works better as a solo film than a full-length series. I was worried that this would prove unnecessary, but ended up enjoying a dope ass action movie. PAIGE While Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu will satisfy fans yearning for a story in a galaxy far, far away, it ultimately feels like a glorified season of the series. It's a fun adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of action, but it mostly drifts through a series of events that don’t take narrative risks or move the story forward. That said, Ludwig Göransson’s synth score brings a cool energy and the utilization of practical effects works well here. Overall, its safe storytelling approach lacks depth or conflict, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t walk out with a smile on my face. ROBERT I remember how excited I was at the Disney+ launch in 2019 because The Mandalorian was the flagship show, and it was promoted awesomely. I remained heavily invested until midway through Season Three; but a movie promised more spectacle, and if director Jon Favreau saw enough story for theaters, it surely must be necessary, right? Not particularly, as plot was secondary to booms and noise and Grogu coos. Plus, I counted at least three points of the film that reminded me of other Pedro Pascal vehicles, which speaks to his saturation of the market. Beyond the music, nothing much locked my S-foils into attack position. Want to hear even more of our thoughts? Nick, Harrison, and Ace Cabrera join Amarú to take A Bigger Bite out of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu HERE .

WE BURY THE DEAD Starring: Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, Kym Jackson, and Matt Whelan Director: Zak Hilditch QUENTIN We Bury the Dead does a decent job of creating a zombie world with genuinely fresh rules, but writer-director Zak Hilditch buries those rules under the same ol’ zombie movie tropes we’ve seen time and time again. He also doesn’t flesh out Ava (Daisy Ridley) enough to truly hook the viewer, leaving her journey mostly superficial and wavetop to the point where her climactic moment — the entire point of the story — comes and goes without much catharsis or resolution. Hilditch does well as the director, demonstrating a good eye and getting great performances from his cast, but his script sinks the ship a bit. KATIE We Bury the Dead is a zombie film that’s far more concerned with the living than the threat of the undead. Following Daisy Ridley’s character, Ava, on a search for her missing husband in the wake of the accidental detonation of an experimental weapon, the zombie aspect of the story functions as a conduit for themes of grief, guilt, and trauma. Largely cliché in nature but less threatening, the zombie’s presence is secondary to Ava’s drive for hope and quest for closure. I enjoyed the unconventional take on the drama, but it ends up feeling unfinished and a little unsatisfying. This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of Fantasy Filmfest 2025.

DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Samantha Bond, Allen Leech, Tuppence Middleton, Hugh Dancy, Imelda Staunton, Maggie Smith, Fifi Hart, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Harry Hadden-Paton, Penelope Wilton, Jim Carter, Dominic West, Laura Haddock, Sue Johnston, Kevin Doyle, Michael Fox, Robert James-Collier, Phyllis Logan Director: Simon Curtis AMARÚ Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) best described Downton Abbey in Iron Man 3 : “it’s elegant.” A New Era lives up to that descriptor, as it is an elegant escape with dazzling production and a memorable score. At first, it seems a sophisticated mesh of The Crawleys’ low-stakes ongoings; However, as the storylines come together, the wonderful characters’ warmth, pitch-perfect humor, and lovely performances remind you why you care for such trivial happenings. Whether ardent fan (me, waving vehemently) or newcomer to the opulent relationships between upstairs and down, it’s a comfort movie personified. Also, Dame Maggie Smith… no other words necessary. JACOB Even if one has never seen an episode of the beloved drama series, the Downton Abbey films cast a very charming shadow, though A New Era does leave a bit to be desired. Whereas the previous entry in this saga felt largely clean, polished, and focused, this one comes off a bit choppier in the editing and storytelling. In presenting two threads that have almost nothing in common, save their connections in characters, the film comes off as somewhat unsure of the story it wants to tell. That said, fans of the series will likely enjoy themselves anyway.

THE BATMAN Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, John Turturro, and Peter Sarsgaard Director: Matt Reeves JACOB Director Matt Reeves’ detective noir The Batman is as visceral and full of intrigue as any Batman story you’ve ever seen on screen. The performances are uniformly excellent (as is the action), though the obvious standout is Paul Dano’s chilling turn as The Riddler. The Dark Knight’s tale of vengeance takes a slower approach in telling its story, leaning into the seediness of Gotham way more than any previous Batman films, but it’s unlikely that the slowness turns anyone off to it. Michael Giacchino’s score and the film’s stellar sound design steal the show. PAIGE Riddle me this: What do you get when you mix David Fincher’s dark, noir style with Matt Reeves’ world building? You get the darkest and rawest Batman we’ve seen yet. Gotham City’s new gothic look is brought vividly to life with beautiful cinematography, which is heightened with a flawless score by Michael Giacchino. His music pulsates through the film, giving the entire thing a beating heart. The film’s biggest flaw is that it’s a whole lot of plot & hardly any story. However, Robert Pattinson as The Dark Knight and Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman are my favorite iterations of the characters yet. QUENTIN The Batman , the tenth live action Batman (or Batman-adjacent) movie since 1989, does a lot of things amazingly well. The tone is pitch perfect, the cinematography is superb, the violence is visceral, and the acting is good enough to overcome some cringy dialogue. It could have been the best Batman movie ever if it wasn’t for the plotting. In its efforts to be a franchise-starting, labyrinthine mystery, it’s just way too overstuffed. This movie didn’t need to be three hours long. It never drags exactly, but it’s unnecessarily convoluted. Still, it’s essentially Seven featuring Batman , which I can’t be too mad about. NICK Matt Reeves’ The Batman works best when it leans into its noir detective story, but Reeves also includes an underlying 007-esque sexual tone that feels unnecessary. As for the cast, Robert Pattinson excels as the Caped Crusader, but his Bruce Wayne, along with most of the supporting characters, are nothing too special. It’s also entirely too long. So much so that I wonder if the film may have been better served by cutting out Zoë Kravitz’s storyline entirely to shave 45 min off the runtime. Save her for the sequel. There’s a lot to like about The Batman , but there isn't a lot to love. AMARÚ The Batman is essentially the next Arkham video game, and it’s a compliment when I say some dialogue sounds like it’s ripped right out of the games. Director Matt Reeves nailed the gritty “world’s greatest detective” story, Michael Giacchino put his FOOT into that score, and the action is intense (two words: car chase). Zoë Kravitz is charming, Paul Dano balances outrageous and unhinged, and Colin Farrell is delightful. And John Turturro? BRA-VO! But most intriguing is Robert Pattinson because he’s Batman even when the cowl is off, and I can’t wait to see how he eventually grows into Bruce Wayne. ADRIANO I don’t like using this word, but The Batman is a near masterpiece. Writer/director Matt Reeves’ version of Batman is a detective neo-noir in the vein of David Fincher and it is marvelous. Robert Pattinson might be my favorite Batman yet, while Paul Dano’s The Riddler is actually frightening. Everyone behind the camera is at the top of their game, especially Greig Fraser’s cinematography and Michael Giacchino’s score. And while I wouldn’t call this an action movie, when there is action, it’s brutal and awesome. Slow, sure, but it moved fast for me. Suffice to say, I loved it.

DANGEROUS ANIMALS Starring: Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Hueston, and Ella Newton Director: Sean Byrne NICK Although the tone is different, Dangerous Animals has a lot of the same problems as The Meg . Both feature enigmatic leads (Jason Statham in the former and Jai Courtney here) but not near enough shark content. In fact, you could remove sharks from this film entirely and it would still work. Courtney provides some of his best work (no coincidence that it’s in his native accent) as he channels his inner Nicolas Cage, and Hassie Harrison does well in the lead role; however, the film surrounding them is plagued by rough effects and a cliché story. Fun moments, but not enough to sink your teeth into. ROBERT With it being the 50th anniversary of Jaws , it is appropriate timing for another summer killer shark movie. In this instance, with Dangerous Animals , the rub is that a psychotic water tour guide is feeding people to the killer sharks, and I emphasize the word “psychotic.” Everything working around the murderer is adequate, but the brilliance is in Jai Courtney’s performance as Tucker. He is like a new-age Buffalo Bill mixed with Captain Boomerang, and it just propels everything forward to make the movie entertaining and chilling, at least for the most part. Courtney needs five more of these in his natural Australian accent. KATIE Dangerous Animals is a decent B-movie, elevated by Jai Courtney’s incredible performance as a charming yet threatening shark-obsessed serial killer. When Courtney is on screen, he shines, and Hassie Harrison’s performance as the “final girl” matches his unwavering energy. However, the movie is slightly overlong and has too many fake-outs, which become slightly tedious, especially when they continuously push the limits of what's believable. Plus, the relationship between Zephyr (Harrison) and Moses (Josh Heuston) is so thinly conceived that it barely makes sense. It’s entertaining enough, and has great performances, but it loses its intrigue quite quickly. QUENTIN Outside of the reasonably unique premise and, of course, sharks, Dangerous Animals is kind of a B-movie dud. Billed as a survival horror thriller, it's surprisingly light on scares and thrills. There isn’t a ton of tension or shark carnage either, for that matter. So, why the passable rating? A menacingly deranged performance from Jai Courtney, that's why. He is oddly magnetic for reasons I can’t even describe, and you simply can't look away whenever he’s on screen. He, alone, covers for all the things the movie is lacking overall. I hope directors and producers take notice, leading to more roles for the underrated actor.

FINGERNAILS Starring: Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, and Annie Murphy Director: Christos Nikou NICK Not every story about love needs to be a love story, and that’s something Fingernails director Christos Nikou looks to explore. The notion of sacrificing one’s fingernail just to learn if one’s love is true is a great commentary on our need for reassurance and reliance on “the one.” Unfortunately, Nikou focuses on this with everyone except Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White), the film’s lead relationship. The focus on these two is lacklustre, and you’re never really given a chance to invest in them, which dampens the introduction of Amir (Riz Ahmed), and in turn, his entire storyline. ADRIANO Fingernails has a great premise, but the film never lives up to it. A good chunk of the movie is fleshing out the central idea regarding this test that can calculate love, and because it spends so much time on that, the broader implications of what writer/director Christos Nikou is trying to say about the human desire to feel loved falls through the cracks. Not that this is a bad movie, as Jessie Buckley is as excellent as always and the ideas presented are good ones, but I wish it offered something more. PAIGE While Fingernails plays with an intriguing idea about the complications of love and relationships, it does it in such an introverted manner that it makes it hard to fall in love with the story. While original, this thought-provoking, lo-fi, sci-fi film, doesn’t have enough spark to stand on its own. It’s too simplistic and calm, leaving its screenplay to be the film's real heartbreak. Without the strong performances of Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, and Jeremy Allen White, Fingernails would just feel like another generic rip-off of Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster . CALEB The thesis behind Fingernails seems to be that love is complicated, and, well… yeah. I feel like anyone over the age of 20 probably already knew that. We’re all aware that relationships take work, and that love isn’t easily quantifiable. These seem like very surface-level observations. It’s a shame the film is this shallow because, at least on a technical level, it’s pretty well executed. The performances are good, the cinematography is great, and the music is beautiful. You can tell a lot of hard work went into making Fingernails ; I just wish it was in service of something a little more thought provoking. This film was reviewed by Nick and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW Starring: Alison Brie, Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons, Danny Pudi, Olga Merediz, Haley Joel Osment, Julie Hagerty, and Ayden Mayeri Director: Dave Franco AMARÚ Somebody I Used to Know struggles mightily to find its groove. There are 30 minutes in the second act where the film is what the trailer promised, an uneasy romance about Alison Brie seeing her ex-boyfriend (Jay Ellis) on his wedding weekend. Ellis plays these romantic conundrums well (see Insecure ), and Kiersey Clemons is electric as his fiancé, so I’m not sure why it focused on Brie being the shittiest human possible stuck in awkward comedic situations akin to American Pie . The conflicting tones and unlikable (read: uninteresting) lead killed any momentum the engaged couple sporadically brought to this unappealing film. NICK Somebody I Used to Know deserves its props for trying to do something outside the traditional rom-com format. That said, it provides mixed results. On the technical side, Dave Franco continues to show some promise as a director; however, with questionable decisions for many of the characters, I was hard pressed to root for anyone. The marketing also hurt it because the trailer teased a direction that would have served the story well, yet it is never fully realized. Honestly, it’s a bit of a disappointment by the end. However, I couldn’t help but enjoy the Community reunion of Alison Brie and Danny Pudi. PAIGE Somebody I Used to Know is definitely not your run-of-the-mill rom-com. Tonally, it’s a little all over the place, but at its core is a film about self-worth and love. It’s refreshing to get adult-like coming-of-age stories that many can relate too. Yes, it has its cute, light-hearted rom-com beats, but when director Dave Franco digs into the overall message of the film, that’s where it shines the brightest. Overall, it’s a cute little gem that starts off a little rough around the edges, but cruises along quite gracefully once it finds its groove. QUENTIN Despite the cast’s chemistry, Somebody I Used to Know can be summed up in two words, contemptuously uttered by Kiersey Clemons’ character about our “hero,” Ally (Alison Brie): “…dis bitch.” Like many rom-com protagonists, Ally is a terrible person. Her aim is to break up an engagement mostly to make herself feel better, and since the film’s tone is closer to pseudo-serious dramedy than charming comedy, it makes for an ickier version of My Best Friend’s Wedding . It’s not a bad movie at all, and it’s nice to see Community alum Brie and Danny Pudi reunited on screen, but it’s a hard story to root for. JOSEPH Mix My Best Friend’s Wedding with a Hallmark romance, throw in Allison Brie, and you get Somebody I Used to Know . It’s a mess of a movie that fails to be romantic, funny, or even likable. There’s no charm, little humor, and awkward character traits and backstory. However, I think Brie is the main issue because it’s hard for me to buy her as a small town girl. She never fits in with the rest of the movie, and it weighs everything and everyone else down substantially. It’s a huge miss that fails to entertain on most every level.

SHE CAME TO ME Starring: Peter Dinklage, Marisa Tomei, Anne Hathaway, Joanna Kulig, Brian d’Arcy James, Harlow Jane, and Evan A. Ellison Director: Rebecca Miller AMARÚ She Came to Me is the kind of quirky movie that usually doesn’t appeal to me. A lot of disparate yet intertwining stories that have their own absurdities and that could be movies in themselves, with plots featuring tones so different that it simultaneously feels like a dark comedy, a horror, a coming-of-age, and a romantic thriller. If not for its performances (Peter Dinklage and Marisa Tomei, in particular), I wouldn’t care one bit about what’s going on. But the characters’ awkwardness kept my heart racing so earnestly that I pushed past the “WTFs?” running through my mind. QUENTIN She Came to Me is reminiscent of Crazy, Stupid, Love , except on a more indie and far less clever scale. Most of the characters come off as too bougie for me to care about their self-made white people problems. Marisa Tomei’s Katrina, an opera-going tugboat captain, is addicted to “romance;” Peter Dinklage’s Steven, an opera composer, has writer’s block; Anne Hathaway’s Patricia is a neat freak. These aren’t real problems, and as such, I found it hard to sympathize with them, let alone find humor in their situations. I will file away Marisa Tomei as a tugboat captain for later, though. Don’t you kink shame me! PRESTON She Came to Me is the baby of writer and director Rebecca Miller, who gives us an authentically aligned romantic-comedy that feels far more pragmatic than other competing “rom-coms.” I mean, how can you beat the trio of Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway, and Marisa Tomei?! Each deliver a beautiful performance that reflect the brokenness of their character, imbuing them with convincing realism, even if their problems are of the “First World” variety. The film is hindered by multiple narratives that are crammed in, but its messiness is also why I enjoyed it.