...appears to have a direct line to the scrappy, nervous energy of early ’70s cinema.

I spent an awful lot of this film gasping for air and giggling hysterically, often at the same time.

...has all the bells and whistles of a Safdie joint, from the hustler caught in a hellish loop to the frenetic coda set to rest by moments of painful introspection.

...spins a hilarious tale from the fringes of the underground comics scene, powered by a wonderfully sour performance by Daniel Zolghadri as Robert, a teenage cartoonist who strikes out on his own.

...the parade of uniquely absurd characters and agonising situations make it a real page turner.

...makes nerds feel seen—and smelled—for the first time.

Form is a critical part of art, yes, but it’s soul that so often gives it, and life, that ineffable quality that makes it unique and worth the struggle.

A teenage cartoonist searches for authenticity in writer/director Owen Kline’s pleasingly grubby debut feature.