Fresh
This curious blend of documentary and narrative, held together less by any plot device than by a rigorous aesthetic, proves all the more effective for being in service of casual naturalism.
Ronnie Scheib, Variety
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Putty Hill
Overview
Friends and family of Cory, a young man who has died of an overdose, gather at a Baltimore-area karaoke bar for his wake and compare stories about him. Gradually, as it becomes clear that there are many holes in their recollections about Cory, they fill in the blanks by talking about things that reveal aspects of their own lives. Among those mourning him and searching for meaning are his cousin Jenny, his sister Zoe and his brother James.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
74%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Points must be awarded for nerve, but virtually every aspect of this misbegotten film misfires.
Peter Brunette, Hollywood Reporter
Fresh
Porterfield's rejection of obvious irony makes this not only a warm film, but one which shows the real face of America's poor, young and disenfranchised.
David Jenkins, Time Out
Fresh
With "Putty Hill," Porterfield joins the company of American indie directors Ramin Bahrani and Kelly Reichardt, filmmakers often compelled to seek out everyday souls in their textured, oh-so quotidian environs.
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
Fresh
It looks closely, burrows deep, considers the way in which lives have become pointless and death therefore less meaningful.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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