Out of Breath

This is an excellent movie. In its one violent scene, a grossly corrupt NYC police officer ends up dead after refusing the help of the confused young black man, Mario, who has impulsively shot him.

While the shadow of this tragedy settles in the background and Mario and his girlfriend attempt to devise a plan... Out of Breath, becomes a sort of Keystone Kops slapstick farce with two incompetent detectives in pursuit of Mario. In one instance, Mario unwittingly evades the detectives by leaving his girlfriend's studio to brush his teeth moments before they arrive, and in other instances, friends and family foil his whereabouts as he encounters mentors and colorful characters providing support and advice about survival against the backdrop of the impossibility of a way out of this mess; the mess of his conscious and the mess of how law enforcement deals.

This movie entertains while providing a bold look at the legacy of white supremacy in American life. And there is hope here that things will change for the better. You'll see it in the ending(s).

The story is so real and so current ...Yet the storytelling is so perfect, it makes you think and wonder " what would you do? ".

A fairytale lightness and perfect soundtrack helps one get into the story and root for the hero...hard!

Superb acting and a wonderful love letter to NY.

Highly recommend.

Each actor is perfectly cast to deliver a movie that is about a serious topic but is light and fun at the same time. There is at least one off beat character and the movie takes place during the pandemic. Lots of imagination here!