As written and directed by Marc Webb, The Only Living Boy in New York is uneven from both dramatic and artistic standpoints, though the acting is uniformly satisfying.
The tale centers on Thomas Webb (Callum Turner), the son of a publisher and his artistic wife, who has just graduated from college and is trying to find his place in the world–not unlike Benjamin, the character that Dustin Hoffman played in Mike Nichols 1967 seminal feature
Moving from his parents’ Upper West Side apartment to the Lower East Side, he befriends his eccentric neighbor W.F. (the always reliable Jeff Bridges), a shambling alcoholic writer who dispenses worldly wisdom alongside healthy shots of whiskey.
Turning point occurs when Thomas’ world begins to shift due to his shocking discovery that his long-married father (Pierce Brosnan) is having an affair with a seductive younger woman (Kate Beckinsale).
Determined to break up the relationship, Thomas ends up sleeping with his father’s mistress, an episode that launches a chain of events that change everything the ever-developing thinks he knows about his identity, his family relationships, and the outside surrounding reality.
The film. which opened in the U.S. on August 11 as counter-programming, courtesy of Amazon and Roadside Attraction, was greeted with negative reviews and was a commercial flop, grossing only $622,999.
I am told that Webb’s feature plays better in Europe: It is one of the main selections of the Rome Film Fest, Oct 26-Nov 5.
Runtime: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Amazon Studios/Roadside Attractions