I think the last time I watched this, I said that I love the compassion this film has for its leads. Clearly, they are bad people — in the classical film sense. They’re dicks. But Heller sees them as cornered, broken people — desperate and alone. There is so much grace extended to everybody in this film. I wish more people made movies this way.
Having recently watched The Last Black Man in San Francisco, I am grateful for voices like Heller’s and Joe Talbot’s. Cinema needs to hear from a wider variety of perspectives. This new generation of filmmakers seems convinced that most people aren’t truly terrible — that the human condition requires compassion, grace, and understanding. That’s a valuable perspective to bring to your art — to add to the conversation.
I guess, more than ever, we all need a little grace and compassion.