Set in the Bronx in 1993, Lee claims the film
is "inspired by a true story." If I tell you the details here, it may
give away the ending. He makes a few mistakes in regard to his directing. How
many dialogue-free, musical montages can you stand? Not unlike that 500 word
essay we all wrote back in high school stating the same thing in as many
different ways to reach the magic number, Lee turns what could have been an 84-minute film into a 96- minute one. That being said, it's a good movie and it
marks an admirable feature film debut for him. He certainly has excelled in his
casting choices. Destiny Frasqueri, a.k.a. the rapper Princess Nokia, is
transcendent. Luminescent. She plays the emotionally torn Eva with sympathy
that's palpable, having to make life-altering choices regarding career, a lover
and her family. I hope we'll get to see more of her on the silver screen. Jimi Stanton plays the responsible Brendan, a
young man, wise and controlled beyond his years, who feels the weight of the
world crashing down upon his shoulders. His only peaceful moments come with
Eva. The chemistry between Stanton and Frasqueri is something to see.
I look forward to Peter Lee's next film. He
shows the ability here to add the tiny touches that let you see interesting
insights into a character's personality, as evidenced in a scene in which Eva
purchases a phone card for her mom. The best line in the film is delivered by one
of Eva's friends, Ricky (a twitchy and funny Sebastian Chacon) to the three girls
he hangs with all the time: "It doesn't make sense, waiting to do
something that's going to make you happy." If only the majority of us
could live our lives following that advice.
"Angelfish" is now streaming on Amazon Prime and Tubi.