WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Is it still possible to find even the minutest glimpse of positivity in the midst of absolute personal desolation? Can we even SEE the road ahead clear enough through all the tediousness, hurt, despondency, and anger against a world we feel has done nothing but beat us down and then left us derelict in heart and mindset? Where is it we might reach for that will provide absolution of the mistakes, both self-made and involuntary, we’ve found ourselves paying for? It is the City That Never Sleeps, The Big Apple, NYC in which resides five homeless women–Oprah (Rah Digga), Juliette (Sophia Lamar), Madonna (Miley Rose), Lauren (Eva Dorrepaal), and Martha (Meredith Binder)–who find themselves battling all that they feel life has betrayed them with as well as each other while simply striving to survive however they can. Yet, when one finds a chance to gain potential freedom for them all, will the actual cost of it end up helping or hindering them from knowing once more what it is to have belief in better days, overcome a tragedy, and embrace lasting friendship?
Next, my Mind:
It is a gritty, unapologetic, bold, and avant garde exhibition of indie filmmaking at its micro-budget, “this IS going to get made–NO MATTER WHAT!”, grass-roots level core and isn’t remotely shy about addressing an ever-expanding plethora of definitively weighty thematic elements highlighting the desperation-heavy underbelly of NYC’s homeless community and its associated struggles while still managing to try and discover the ONE thing we ALL need in this out-of-control society–HOPE. Thanks to uncompromising writer/director/producer/editor Mars Roberge, story editor Patty Powers, producers Eric Michael Kochmer and Kenneth Shaw, co-producers Debra Haden and Allyson Sereboff, plus executive producer Sam Mestman, the project’s starkly impactful black & white visual presentation, unrelenting portrait of intimate inward and outward chaos, cathartic but oh so often brief instances of release, the shock of choices committed out of sheer misery, and the undeniable resiliency of the human spirit in spite of it all shines forth in raw, sobering, jarring vigor. It is based on a play by writer Doron Braunshtein, which would be its own unique experience on stage based on what I’ve seen here.
The narrative conveyed, showcasing the deteriorating lives of five homeless women, who can at one moment feel like besties then in another seem like embittered enemies, and the key defining moments that will alter their perspectives on the path their lives have and will take, centers with unabashed potency on grander themes that hit fast, hard, and unapologetically. Focusing on destitution vs. wealth, despair vs. delight, self-worth vs. depression, being mad at the world vs. looking to the stars for a sense of purpose and inspiration, the pursuit of dreams, our need for true companionship, fighting through the pain and anger of “WHY me??!!”, acceptance vs. defiance at what reality IS or could be, harboring the desire to improve one’s station but still not clearly knowing HOW to get there, confronting the actuality of decisions that WERE in our control but got lost sight of to our detriment, and a smartly executed take on “the grass is always greener–or not”, this is NO fairy tale folks, even despite the ultimate designs to portray redemption.
BUT, what will continue to grab you is that WITHIN these primary themes as mentioned above, there are all the additional topical facets contained across the scope of the story that get their fair share of screen time as well, giving notice to crippling addictions meant to numb hurting souls, feeling invisible, forgotten, uncared for, and abandoned while believing what’s beautiful may always be out of reach, complete brokenness, OCD, prostitution, trying to be someone else instead of who WE are, how money can be poison rather than salvation, and IF that chance comes to have that liberation from strife, and IS it TRUE transformation that occurs or is it just to soothe a guilty conscious, with the accompanying awareness of this THEN bringing about genuine conviction. Immersed in this polychromatic storm of the narrative’s objectives, it assuredly leaves an indelible mark on you as a viewer, especially once the finale is reached that carries images of both compellingly unsettled significance tempered with JUST a touch of comedic flair.
Make no mistake, as hinted at above, this is a film filled with irreverent drama and sometimes jolting crassness, and while this isn’t my ideal preference content-wise, I won’t say it all doesn’t have a relevant place in this particular context, given what we’re witnessing, as it’s simply being REAL about the nature of humanity caught in crushing circumstance. There’s a very effectively performed song that bookends things which greatly establishes a “Rent”-style tone to me. There is a consistent utilization of piano-driven background music that follows throughout as well, and it adds that atmospheric, emotive air to the moments where it means the most, enhancing the emotional quotient of what’s depicted. As likewise aforementioned, the visual tapestry flowing before us in non-color almost absorbs the demeanor of the film’s mood then methodically creates the necessary ambiance of gravity the story exudes, allowing for even the fleeting instances of joy to be honed by a cautious hesitancy to actually accept something GOOD is transpiring.
Countless times over the span of my reviewing, ensemble casts have been present and only work when everyone is in tune with the other in order to mesh and be molded into one cohesive unit that is the whole. Here is another perfect example of this being fulfilled, first starting with an energetic Digga as the steadfast, tenaciously cranky, but determined to rise above it Oprah whose fierce attitude is what tends to propel the group to come to a mutually agreed upon decision when the times comes that may become the catalyst for their stars to change. She’s truly a realist who wants to see the best of what COULD be even when their situations seem without hope. Lamar exudes an unadulterated demeanor of quiet and blatant menace and jaded apathy through her role as Juliette, a drug addict whose accepted her place in both life and the group, unafraid to encounter any challenge with vehemence and potentially violence, but who also may end up being the one with the most to awaken to in the aftermath of her fractured mind’s decisions when it comes to the group and how they’re trying to get OUT of the gutters.
Rose is bubbly and boisterous but also emotes a deeply wounded heart and mentality, a state of personal disillusion towards herself, men, and the world she’s stuck in through her fervent turn as Madonna, a wanna-be singing star who has made a living through the oldest profession as its often called. Sometimes accepting and other times denying what she is, her ventures to wish upon the distant universe of lights to have peace is heartbreaking beyond the tough exterior she attempts to hide behind. Dorrepaal deftly embodies the stormy road of lost beauty and affluence while still holding fast to a disenchanted belief she’s actually still “all that” through her performance as Lauren, an individual trying to maintain her sense of self and what she was even in the midst of being as far away from that past life as she now is. Captured in self-obsession, any encounter with someone who cares or says they do is met with a fiery resistance as Lauren’s coping with it all has been shattered, her fate one that could affect them all more greatly than ever.
Binder is an illustration of controlled and understated passion, only exerting a larger demonstration of command when absolutely needed, through her role as Martha, by far the calmest of the group whose OCD and need for everything to be clean manages to keep her both loved and ridiculed. Wishing for the best outcomes and the well-being of the group, her voice is one of reason and practicality which could also be what’s required to keep everyone else in line. Primary supporting performances are present from Debra Haden as Bianca, an undercover cop who’s had a specific mission in hand when it comes to the other women, but whose own life is something far less than perfect, especially when the position she’s in yields a new degree of doubt in her own worth as a cop while in conflict with personal demons she must now deal with. It’s a subtle but impassioned performance Haden provides, and certainly endears you to the character, eliciting sincere feelings of empathy for Bianca’s plight.
Spookey Ruben is a local bodega owner who’s had to put up with Oprah, often confrontationally, until he becomes part of a pivotal moment for her. John McDermott and David Booker arrive as Marty and Josh, two fellow cops who are under Bianca’s command and must find their own ways of helping her through the frustrations of the undercover assignment they’re all involved with. Freddy Bastone is Max, a man who holds a candle and heart of sympathy for Lauren, but who also has his inner skirmishes to handle at home as well. Additional supporting appearances are made by Jeff Musillo, Jack Clark, Grinell-Skot Gilmore, Princess Diandra, Lotta Hart, Astrid Hart, Michael Musto, Chaka Khanvict, Jeffrey Wengrofsky, Jim Sclavunos, Katrina Del Mar, Luigi Curanaj, and McKenzie Rotter plus a HOST of others. Let it be known you ARE acknowledged by this critic, because for me, ALL appearances in a film are important and needed. So a congratulations to the ENTIRE cast for a job well done!
So, in total, “Stars” may not be for everyone in that it IS an unflinchingly blunt, not remotely “comfortable” but rather in-your-face exploration of what it is to be in the valleys of homelessness and the realness of anguish and instability being trapped in it brings. BUT, it IS also a journey that is willing to BE this candid in order to raise awareness, gain a better viewpoint, and perhaps even spur us to action to see this issue aided in a much more productive way. Because no matter the state of they’re in, we are talking PEOPLE, worth noticing, worth saving, worth helping, because sometimes HOPE may not seem apparent–but it IS there. Let’s nurture it instead of snuffing it out.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
