This felt like a black box theater play that made a successful jump to an art film. And it also had Alec Baldwin in it.

I actually went into this with low expectations. I may or may not have family in Cincinnati and I may or may not have know that *****SPOILER*****

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The plot of this movie is fictional. It sure feels like it isn’t when you’re watching it but nothing that impressive has happened in that city.

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*****SPOILER OVER*****

Shockingly, that didn’t detract from my viewing of the movie. Maybe it added to it? No clue. What does matter is that they took some very real city things like homeless people freezing to death and the apparently accurately annoying politics and made a movie.

The method of storytelling feels like an elevated, professionally elevated cliche. Because this plot could have easily lent itself to overly self-important filmography or some weird art theme that should really have been cut in post. Instead, we get a nicely shot, tight movie that trusted the script and acting to get the point across without any muddling “vision”.

The acting was yeah, whatever. Did it need Alec Baldwin? Naw. Did it not need Alec Baldwin? *shrugs* What it did need was an above average extended cast to carry the ensemble interactions and it had that. This isn’t a movie made by one performance. It’s made by a bunch of people really believing in their characters ending up in them giving up some powerful moments that sell the humanity of the people.

Verdict: 4/5 Really, let’s be honest with each other, read the synopsis and if you’re like, yeah I’ll pass don’t blame me if you see it just because I am above average on it. Not cloyingly preachy which is a feat.