Very few filmmakers give me more hope for the future than Josh Safdie does (sorry, Benny). Between the casting, the camerawork, the music, the humour, and the manic, unyielding energy, I find everything about his style exhilarating. And while I'm sure there will eventually come a day when I set the bar too high for him to clear, that day isn't today.
Goddamn, what an spectacular ride. From the sperm opening to the moving ending (both of which are punctuated by sublime needle drops), I adored every second of this movie. It's heartfelt, it's explosive, it's extremely sweaty, and it somehow finds a way to function as both a sports story and a Safdie-esque comedy of errors. Plus, it blends its 1952 setting with an '80s aesthetic and a modern-day mindset in a manner that feels harmonious and fresh. It's all so dazzling that even the presence of Kevin O'Leary couldn't ruin it for me.
When I watched One Battle After Another a few months ago, I was pretty sure that nothing else from 2025 would top it. That may still be the case, but the throne's finally got some competition now (I'll rank the ten nominees when I get through all of them, so check back then). And if I do end up giving this one the edge, it'll probably be due to its passion and power, and because it's the year's only movie, at least as far as I'm aware, that contains a shootout between Abel Ferrara and Penn Jillette.
Grade: A+
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