Voss’s decision to shoot in (no zooms, no cuts within each “scene”) forces viewers into uncomfortable intimacy. The grain of the 16mm film stock, combined with natural light from a single window, creates a texture that feels more like memory than cinema. This is true independent formalism — not gimmickry but necessity transformed into style.
Grade: A- A quiet thunderclap of a film. Sorvino, a former editor for the Kenyon Review , makes her directorial debut with the confidence of someone who has spent thirty years watching people lie. Larkin is essentially a two-hander: a grandmother with undiagnosed dementia and a grandson who mistakes his anxiety for ambition. The chess scene (above) is the centerpiece, but watch for the five-second shot of Irene washing a single plate. That’s where the movie lives—in the ritual, not the rupture. Rivers is a revelation, all clenched jaws and wet eyes. Holman should be nominated for the way she says “Of course you did” without a hint of judgment. Flaw? The third-act car breakdown feels borrowed from a lesser script. Still, you’ll think about that collar-tuck for days. Streaming on MUBI. 98 min. No explosions. Voss’s decision to shoot in (no zooms, no
Reading reviews for independent films is different than checking the score for a summer action flick. To find the best of the scene, look for these markers in critical analysis: Grade: A- A quiet thunderclap of a film
These platforms are highly regarded by cinephiles for their focus on arthouse, experimental, and independent projects. The chess scene (above) is the centerpiece, but
