Uptown (film)
Encyclopedia
Uptown is an American
2009
independent
drama film
written and directed by Brian Ackley as his debut feature film
, and the second film in the One Way or Another Productions' "Naked Series".
locations, including scenes that take place in Central Park
. After a 2-week production hiatus, it was discovered that one of the cameras had been damaged, rendering everything that was shot on it as unusable. Only a few of those "lost" scenes were reshot.
Actor Chris Riquinha states that he previously worked with producer Princeton Holt on Holt's earlier film Cookies & Cream
and that it was Holt who recommended him to writer/director Brian Ackley.
According to the production company, after Uptown won several festival awards, and while the film was still in the festival circuit, the film was picked up for distribution.
credited.
grants that while the director "generally does a nice job of capturing the awkwardness that's part and parcel with new relationships", the film itself "has been suffused with a pervasively uneventful atmosphere that ultimately proves oppressive." He points out that the director's low-key approach "wouldn't be quite so problematic had he managed to transform either of the central characters into fully-fleshed out, thoroughly compelling figures", and that his inability to do so ensured "that it becomes impossible to work up any interest or enthusiasm in Ben and Isabel's tentative romance," due to the "relentlessly superficial nature of their conversations". And toward sound quality, Nusair makes note that the director's use of actual locations drowned out much of the dialog.
Conversely, The Independent Critic wrote that the in many such films, there is a tendency for a new filmmaker to "plunge headfirst into the depths of human emotion", but that "[w]isely, Brian Ackley avoids this potential temptation." He notes that "it is with intelligence, gentleness, grace and simplicity that Uptown explores the very real worlds" of its two protagonsts, and also coments on the "similarly intelligent and patient performances from the film's leads."
James Wegg found that "Brian Ackley’s first feature is a beautifully crafted, superbly acted film that explores the symptoms, realities and emotions of a doomed but unstoppable relationship." He wrote that the "opening third of the film is a masterpiece of shotmaking," and that "Riquinha and Hampton make an endearing couple who convincingly reveal themselves gradually," giving their characters an "established unshakeable credibility".
Pulpmovies offers positive commentarty on the film, writing "[n]othing is rushed, though, and the real strength of Uptown is in the utterly natural way in which the relationship between these two characters is handled. The film’s writers wisely avoid excessively dramatic set-pieces preferring, instead, to allow a steadily deepening relationship between Ben and Isabel to follow its natural – and very believable – course. This approach gives the film a very gentle pace which director, Brian Ackley does a great job of handling in a nicely understated fashion." Noting that is was "very much an actors’ film", the complimented the work of the leads Chris Riquinha and Meissa Hampton, writing "[n]ot only do they bring their characters to life in a manner that is sympathetic and believable but both of their performances also feel frighteningly familiar."
Rogue Cinema wrote "Uptown is a cool little movie about men, women and the things we do when we're together. It's not a perfect movie, there are long stretches of conversation and walking that I felt a bit bored by, but overall, once you're drawn into the situation between these two star-crossed lovers, it'll have you wanting a happy ending."
Author David Schleicher wrote that the film was "well paced and nicely shot, offering that diretor Brian Ackley "embraces the low-budget aesthetics of indie films. There’s nothing like filming in NYC, and Ackley takes full advantage of the natural setting," and that the filmmaker crafted "a meaningful and real film reminiscent of the early works of Richard Linklater
and Nicole Holofcener
." He praised the writing of the director and the two leads, commenting "The trio of writers have a sharp ear for realistic dialogue. There’s barely a false note to be found in Uptown, and the characters feel like people you know or want to know." He summarized his review by writing "Ackley and his stars have made a compellingly real film about real people in a real predicament. Authentic and honest without resorting to gritty gimmicks or generic clichés that sometimes plague indie films of this ilk, Uptown is a true find."
Moving Arts Film Journal makes special note of the film being shot "guerrilla style with a skeleton crew in only nine days in various locations around New York City
and New Jersey
," and that "a sizable portion of the dialogue is improvised and Hollywood clichés are deliberately spurned in the pursuit of honesty." They compliment the results when writing, "The result is an original piece of work that portends an uncommon maturity in the filmmaker," and acknowledge that its low budget is revealed by "its production values, particularly in its cinematography and sound design," but that such may be forgiven by a viewer "as long as a human core is powerful enough to shine through," concluding "Luckily, Uptown has that core and delivers an intelligent, unique and honest narrative."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
2009
2009 in film
The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note...
independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written and directed by Brian Ackley as his debut feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
, and the second film in the One Way or Another Productions' "Naked Series".
Production
Uptown was shot in an 8 day period with 2 cameras, using only available light and "stolen" ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
locations, including scenes that take place in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. After a 2-week production hiatus, it was discovered that one of the cameras had been damaged, rendering everything that was shot on it as unusable. Only a few of those "lost" scenes were reshot.
Actor Chris Riquinha states that he previously worked with producer Princeton Holt on Holt's earlier film Cookies & Cream
Cookies & Cream (film)
- External links :* * * * *...
and that it was Holt who recommended him to writer/director Brian Ackley.
According to the production company, after Uptown won several festival awards, and while the film was still in the festival circuit, the film was picked up for distribution.
Synopsis
Ben (Chris Riquinha), an aspiring filmmaker, is an unmarried man living in New York. He enjoys the single life but feels his life is missing something. He meets Isabel (Meissa Hampton), a woman unhappy in her marriage who is seeking intimacy. The bond between the two grows as they have repeated liaisons "uptown".Cast
- Chris Riquinha as Ben
- Meissa Hampton as Isabel
- Deirdre Herlihy as Beth
- Derek M. McAllister as Kasheem
Recognition
The film was noted for its strong performances and its cinematography, although there was no specific cinematographerCinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
credited.
Critical response
Dave Nusair of Online Film Critics SocietyOnline Film Critics Society
The Online Film Critics Society is a professional association for film critics who publish their reviews, interviews, and essays on the Internet.The OFCS was founded in 1997...
grants that while the director "generally does a nice job of capturing the awkwardness that's part and parcel with new relationships", the film itself "has been suffused with a pervasively uneventful atmosphere that ultimately proves oppressive." He points out that the director's low-key approach "wouldn't be quite so problematic had he managed to transform either of the central characters into fully-fleshed out, thoroughly compelling figures", and that his inability to do so ensured "that it becomes impossible to work up any interest or enthusiasm in Ben and Isabel's tentative romance," due to the "relentlessly superficial nature of their conversations". And toward sound quality, Nusair makes note that the director's use of actual locations drowned out much of the dialog.
Conversely, The Independent Critic wrote that the in many such films, there is a tendency for a new filmmaker to "plunge headfirst into the depths of human emotion", but that "[w]isely, Brian Ackley avoids this potential temptation." He notes that "it is with intelligence, gentleness, grace and simplicity that Uptown explores the very real worlds" of its two protagonsts, and also coments on the "similarly intelligent and patient performances from the film's leads."
James Wegg found that "Brian Ackley’s first feature is a beautifully crafted, superbly acted film that explores the symptoms, realities and emotions of a doomed but unstoppable relationship." He wrote that the "opening third of the film is a masterpiece of shotmaking," and that "Riquinha and Hampton make an endearing couple who convincingly reveal themselves gradually," giving their characters an "established unshakeable credibility".
Pulpmovies offers positive commentarty on the film, writing "[n]othing is rushed, though, and the real strength of Uptown is in the utterly natural way in which the relationship between these two characters is handled. The film’s writers wisely avoid excessively dramatic set-pieces preferring, instead, to allow a steadily deepening relationship between Ben and Isabel to follow its natural – and very believable – course. This approach gives the film a very gentle pace which director, Brian Ackley does a great job of handling in a nicely understated fashion." Noting that is was "very much an actors’ film", the complimented the work of the leads Chris Riquinha and Meissa Hampton, writing "[n]ot only do they bring their characters to life in a manner that is sympathetic and believable but both of their performances also feel frighteningly familiar."
Rogue Cinema wrote "Uptown is a cool little movie about men, women and the things we do when we're together. It's not a perfect movie, there are long stretches of conversation and walking that I felt a bit bored by, but overall, once you're drawn into the situation between these two star-crossed lovers, it'll have you wanting a happy ending."
Author David Schleicher wrote that the film was "well paced and nicely shot, offering that diretor Brian Ackley "embraces the low-budget aesthetics of indie films. There’s nothing like filming in NYC, and Ackley takes full advantage of the natural setting," and that the filmmaker crafted "a meaningful and real film reminiscent of the early works of Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater
-Early life:Linklater was born in Houston, Texas. He studied at Sam Houston State University and left midway through his stint in college to work on an off-shore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. While working on the rig he read a lot of literature, but on land he developed a love of film through...
and Nicole Holofcener
Nicole Holofcener
Nicole Holofcener is an American film and television director. She has directed four feature films, most recently Please Give.-Career:...
." He praised the writing of the director and the two leads, commenting "The trio of writers have a sharp ear for realistic dialogue. There’s barely a false note to be found in Uptown, and the characters feel like people you know or want to know." He summarized his review by writing "Ackley and his stars have made a compellingly real film about real people in a real predicament. Authentic and honest without resorting to gritty gimmicks or generic clichés that sometimes plague indie films of this ilk, Uptown is a true find."
Moving Arts Film Journal makes special note of the film being shot "guerrilla style with a skeleton crew in only nine days in various locations around New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
," and that "a sizable portion of the dialogue is improvised and Hollywood clichés are deliberately spurned in the pursuit of honesty." They compliment the results when writing, "The result is an original piece of work that portends an uncommon maturity in the filmmaker," and acknowledge that its low budget is revealed by "its production values, particularly in its cinematography and sound design," but that such may be forgiven by a viewer "as long as a human core is powerful enough to shine through," concluding "Luckily, Uptown has that core and delivers an intelligent, unique and honest narrative."
Festivals
- 2009 New Filmmakers Spring Series NYC, Anthology Film ArchivesAnthology Film Archives__notoc__Anthology Film Archives is a film archive and theater located at 32 Second Avenue on the corner of East Second Street in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City devoted to the preservation and exhibition of experimental film. It is the only non-profit organization of its...
, Official Selection - 2009 Blue November Film Festival, Seattle, Washington
- 2009 Outhouse Film Festival, Baton Rouge, LABaton Rouge, LouisianaBaton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
- Best Leading Actress (Meissa Hampton) - 2009 Twin Rivers Media Festival, Asheville, North CarolinaAsheville, North CarolinaAsheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
Honorable Mention Award - 2009 Deep Fried Film Festival, United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Official Selection - Sonic Cinema "Favorite Film of 2009"
External links
- Uptown at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Uptown at Allmovie
- The Raleigh 10