With familiar story tropes that examine friendship, family dynamics, loss, self-doubt, and career strife, Blank puts her own touch on a film that is funny and rife with much social commentary on gentrification, racial micro-aggressions, and navigating a murky world of political correctness.
Supporting performances from Peter Kim, as Archie, Radha’s theatrical agent and long time friend, Oswin Benjamin, as D, the mysterious and talented Brooklyn music producer, give the film more depth as it allows the protagonist to be a more full and balanced character. Making the climactic scene more impactful as the crowd is scanned and the audience is shown the different people in Radha’s life who are influential in her journey in life to that particular stage. Jacob Ming-Trent, as Lamont, a mouthy street dweller, maybe provides the films funniest scene, where he imparts wisdom to Radha on her big night. Reed Birney, as J. Whitman, plays a convincing and often frustrating figure in Radha’s career, that pushes her and is likely one of the catalysts in the creation of RadhamusPrime.
There’s a lot about this film that is just below the surface, meaning that Blank gives it a bit of time but doesn’t linger on it too much, just enough to provide the viewer with perspective. Like the challenges a Black female creative living in Harlem can have, which is evidenced by her constant verbal abuses on the street by Lamont or the bus drivers exchanges with her after she offers him condolences. Blank has truly accomplished something incredible with her first film, that is worthy of seeing.
