Coney Island Cousins

This movie was a pleasure to watch, it's a modern classic new york indie film that actually portrays accurate cultural representation!

This film follows two cousins who had a somewhat perverse raunchy past and one has left the city to flee the scene as well as family drama/trauma and the other seems to miss her sidekick, but lives on ferociously in their old "hood" in Coney Island. I can tell by the few shoot locations that the movie was actually filmed in New York which was so relieving.

It was also nice to hear actual Russian accents and see authentic New York characters, not people playing their idea of New Yorkers(I hope the actors are all from here, otherwise, strike that comment)!

Anyway the film starts with the two cousins meeting up in the city, the one who moved upstate decided to come visit her cousin for a night of fun, JUST between them, but New York cousin Yulia has other things in mind. They get picked uo by a friend who takes them to another friends house, and then chaos ensues.

You could not have prepared me for the twisty turn this movie took. I started out thinking it was going to be a thriller/psychological horror type of thing where someone was about to be traficked, and then it became an unexpected cunty dramedy. Watch it, you will be thoroughly entertained. I hate moves, and I was actually looking at the screen the whole time.

I will also say there was one black character in this movie, his name was Lucious and he sounds exactly like this one regular at a bar here in Brooklyn and I had to do a double take everytime he came into frame because I was so sure it was him, from the tone of voice, down to the literal dialogue, it was things Brandon would actually say! I can't help but wonder if that's who Lucious was based of off.

I will also say it was very relieving to not see a black man suffer at the hands of white peoples mistakes for the first time in film.

This movie was lighthearted and fun, it was well fleshed out, and left me wanting exactly what it should have, more of Val's story, wanting to slap Yulia and Val, and thinking only white women would get away with some ish like this.

Coney Island Cousins is a very funny and heart felt film- just what we need in these times! It's main character, Val, is going through tumult. Instead of feeling hopeless, she and her cousin, Yulia, go on a wild adventure in hopes of starting anew.

If you know Coney, you know it is filled with characters- and these characters do not disappoint. Hats off to it's stars, Diana Sillaots and Upa InSpace, and the many hilarious performances- particularly Gregory Korostishevsky, Rashad Bashir, and John Backstrom.

I heard this film was shot in a matter of weeks with a micro budget. Kudos to it's writer and director, Alfred Padilla, for pulling it off! I look forward to seeing what is next to come from Alfred and this creative team!

If anyone has been to NYC they know this grasps the essence of it all. Its raw, gritty, and real. You never have any idea how your night will turn out and what adventures or misadventures will ensue. Among the chaos that endures the entire evening there is a soft side to the madness and a comedy about it all, which is displayed greatly with the comedy stand up. The constant bombardment that is NYC never stops and neither does the duo on their night out. Embracing the idea that we all want to run away from it all but with nowhere to go, all you can do is hold tight and go with it. Job well done! Looking forward to Mr. Padilla's next film; I really hope there is another!

A real surprise from some unknown talents. Very much in the John Cassavetes vain of a flowing, crazy, night out, the movie works on many different levels from comedy to drama. Great character actors kept it amusing and dramatic scenes from the lead actors kept me engaged. For an art house independent film I found it to be surprisingly accessible to the diverse members of my family who unexpectedly stopped what they were doing and got caught up in the film. Cinematography was good but at times the minimal budget was evident. Even so it worked seamlessly into the narrative to build an engrossing film that leaves me looking forward to seeing what Mr. Padilla will come up with next.

Coney Island Cousins is a tender, quirky, and compelling portrait of two Russian cousins-both women approaching middle age-as they navigate a tumultuous night in Brooklyn's Coney Island neighborhood. Our main character is Val, a registered nurse who moved to the suburbs in search of a new life... only to find herself in a failing marriage. We meet her as she returns home to Coney Island to reconnect with her cousin Yulia, a comedian and actor still waiting for the big break that should have come a decade ago.

Their lives are marked by uncertainty, emotional restlessness, and the creeping suspicion that time-and their ambitions-are slipping away. Whether it's dissatisfaction with work, tension in relationships, or a hidden sense of displacement, both women seem to teeter on the edge of a midlife crisis, steeped in the stagnant truths of lower middle-class life.

Director Alfred Padilla excels at portraying the layered realities of immigrant experience. His vision of Brooklyn, and of Coney Island in particular, captures a place that feels familiar yet never quite like home-even when it is home.

There's a subtle, ever-present tension in the story-not just from the pressures of modern life in a brutally expensive city, but from the quiet ache of being a migrant: never fully rooted, never entirely secure.

Low-budget films are often the hardest to make. Locations can be underwhelming, and capturing quality sound depends heavily on finding the right setting. Equipment is limited, and securing permits in major cities can be nearly impossible. Despite these challenges, this film draws powerful emotion from its outdoor locations. Director of Photography Noah Chamis captures the streets of Coney Island with such depth and texture that the setting feels less like a backdrop and more like a supporting actor.

This dark comedy keeps its message intact, but what truly stands out is its empathy. Drama and jokes aside, it explores how national identity, age, and culture collide in everyday moments-on subways, in clubs, and along the windblown boardwalk. Coney Island Cousins pays attention to the rules of storytelling. It's intimate, smart, and resonant-offering a glimpse into life that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.