As a film enthusiast who has spent more than a few sweltering summer days in New York City, I can tell you that “Notice to Quit” hits uncomfortably close to home. The city’s unforgiving heat, its grime-covered subway seats, and the ever-looming specter of eviction are all too familiar. However, the film seems to be sweating just as much as its characters, which is a bit disconcerting.
There is no more prized possession in New York City on a sweltering summer day than a working air conditioning unit. Simon Hacker’s father-daughter comedy “Notice to Quit” understands this well, which is why the real estate broker it follows on this terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day keeps coming back to the bounteous promises an AC unit can offer. Taking place in all five boroughs of the city, Hacker’s frenzied film mirrors his mentors, the Safdie brothers, but ultimately falters by doing the very thing that AC unit would help ease: It lets us see it sweat.
Michael Zegen’s character Andy Singer from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is facing a tough time. His dreams of becoming an actor have only materialized in a city-wide toothpaste ad campaign, offering him modest recognition at best. His work as a real estate broker leaves him showing dismal properties to renters who swiftly exit his presence. To make matters worse, his side job of selling functional appliances from these very apartments to a shady reseller is becoming increasingly challenging due to the substandard units that his boss keeps assigning him. To top it off, he’s currently facing eviction for late rent payments – and on this very day, his 10-year-old daughter, whom he hasn’t seen in years, unexpectedly appears to inform him that she and her mother are moving to Orlando.
At the beginning of his day, Andy accidentally spills coffee on his shirt, symbolizing a heavy-handed foreshadowing. This incident, as it appears in “Notice to Quit,” repeatedly urges us to feel some compassion for its troubled father figure, whose actions might not fully warrant such empathy. In essence, Andy’s day filled with taking care of his precocious daughter Anna (played by Kasey Bella Suarez) turns into a laborious attempt at making amends, though it doesn’t seem to bring about much personal development.
In my perspective, spending a day with a father and daughter, trying to straighten out my life while grappling with my past mistakes, might easily veer into overly sentimental territory. However, Mika Altskan’s raw, up-close cinematography in “Notice to Quit” paints a grimy picture of New York City that makes you question the cleanliness of even the most mundane surfaces like subway seats or park benches. Despite the city’s grime and grit, there seems to be an unexpectedly polished portrayal of our main characters, Andy and Anna. This film captures a city that can be harsh and unforgiving, yet it presents a sanitized version of its central characters that feels somewhat out of place.
As a movie critic, I’d rephrase it like this: In this film, the character of the broker seems perfectly crafted to embody the devious and infuriating methods people in New York City can be swindled on a daily basis. “Gelling your hair and deceiving others isn’t real work,” Andy’s ex-wife quips. To which Andy retorts, “I use mousse instead,” in one of Zegen’s characteristic self-deprecating moments that hint at his awareness of the numerous scams and ploys he’s relied on to stay afloat.
Yet Hacker and Zegen can never quite commit to seeing Andy in such a light. If only he’d be dealt a better hand he’d be a better person — a better father, in fact. His agency at every turn is outright excused. Even when his daughter calls him out on using a cockroach to get out of paying a diner bill (and likely endangering the job of the cook at that establishment), Andy brushes it off with requisite indifference: “That was an opportunity, not a crime.”
The movie cleverly portrays that Andy’s struggling antics are part of his deteriorating act. However, this doesn’t make the 90 minutes spent yearning for him to transform into a more compassionate father and an honest intermediary (which might be an oxymoron) any less challenging. It would be beneficial if Zegen and Suarez shared a stronger, sparkling rapport. Regrettably, their stiff on-screen friendship doesn’t aid the movie, particularly as Andy and Anna start to improve their relationship.
As a cinema enthusiast, I found “Notice to Quit” to be an engaging sitcom-like pilot set in the gritty, authentic New York City of the Safdie brothers. The narrative, while intriguing, seemed somewhat predictable, yet it was skillfully woven into a familiar but lived-in environment. Time is a crucial factor in this story, as Andy races against the clock to save his fingers!
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2024-09-27 10:16