THE GREAT PRETENDER American Independents

Expanding upon the themes of self-delusion Nathan Silver explored in 2017’s THIRST STREET, his latest comedy follows four New Yorkers who intersect within the framework of Mona’s (Maëlle Poésy-Guichard) autobiographical play. Silver’s nonlinear narrative employs alternately wry and melancholic voiceover alongside still photography and archival cutaways to actively illustrate their inner monologues. Jack Dunphy’s script (from a story he developed with Silver) playfully arranges reoccurring motifs (including a mysteriously sourced case of gonorrhea) to demonstrate shifting power dynamics within the quartet. Cinematographer Sean Price Williams lenses the interiors in artificial hues of violet, yellow and green, blurring the characters’ real lives with the play in which they’re all unwittingly performing. – Caleb Hammond