Sickly
From the Archives
•
30-Nov-2021
Anxiously convinced his flu-like symptoms could be something much worse, a luckless Brooklynite searches for medical care. Byron Leon directs “Sickly,” a tense ride through New York City that was unbelievably made before the Covid-19 pandemic. After coming down with a bad cough and a high fever, the man is convinced he needs to go to the hospital. His gamer roommate casually dissuades him of that (“have you been to a hospital?”), instead suggesting a walk-in clinic in the city. The sickly man takes his advice and heads off into the night, where he blazes a trail through irritated Uber drivers and nurse receptionists; express trains and insurance problems add to the chaos. Leon’s film plays like a thriller, shot on film, often using long lens’, and it’s a hugely prescient film that reflects with our current moment of health panic. -KA.
Director: Byron Leon. Producer: Alexandria Sherman. Starring: Michael San Juan. Director of Photography: Robert Bevis. Production Design: Katie Friedman. Editors: Jacob Gordon, Byron Leon.
Up Next in From the Archives
-
Oh Man Magdalena
A middle-aged woman runs out of things to talk about with her therapist. Ryan Wagner directs “Oh Man Magdelena,” a surreal, VHS look at a woman and her therapist who reach peculiar breakthroughs during an oddly ominous session. Magdalena peers out the blinds of her therapist’s office. The interio...
-
Malcolm Ex
A man finds out that his lover's ex-boyfriend resembles his personal hero. Free Man Agyapong’s “Malcom Ex” is a darkly humorous look at navigating insecurities in a new relationship. A group of friends kick it on the beach. Guy and Nairobi have been seeing each other recently. With the rest of th...
-
Physical Therapy
Unable to stop quarreling, a young couple turns to a strange alternative therapy practice. Zach Galsky directs “Physical Therapy,” an energetic comedy that pokes fun at a relationship dilemma between a young Czech couple. We meet Alex and Elizabeth as they individually discuss a recent argument ...
