| A New York Story is heavily influenced by Whit Stillman and Woody Allen. A tale of class differences in New York City anchored by a pair of young lovers who often find themselves walking the New York sights as autumn changes to winter. It’s a romantic aesthetic which I loved as a teenager but in recent years it no longer feels fresh or mature. However, it really fits the tone and these characters as they make their way towards each other across the class lines. | | 2024
Directed by: Fiona Robert
Screenplay by: Fiona Robert, Sofia Robert
Starring: Fiona Robert, Paul Karmiryan
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A common problem with romantic dramas set in New York is the oft-quoted line “it’s a love letter to the city”. What I especially like about A New York Story is how the filmmakers, sisters Fiona and Sofia Robert, subvert that into an almost cynical-like look at New York City, how the city has evolved from an artists’ haven into one where the morally-bankrupt wealthy socialites have a hidden or unnoticed influence on the city and the artists are now on the outside.
Naturally, we’re introduced to this world by way of Logan Miller as Will Caffrey. I say “naturally” because he’s the most famous of the cast, start the movie with the most famous actor, and he has a smarmy charm, meaning, he can make an obnoxious socialite endearing. One of the key traits of these uber-wealthy, upper, upper-class aristocrats is that they are highly educated and are able to talk or philosophize on any subject. Will Cafrey does just that. After some black tie event which Will and Annabel (Fiona Robert) and friends attended, they are photographed by Theo (Paul Karmiryan), not as a tabloid photographer but as an artistic photographer. Will and Theo talk about how New York was shaped by artists like him, but they are now being priced out of the city. Will invites him back to somebody’s rich apartment. Theo’s polite, but is definitely out of his element as the rich friends all view him as an outsider, somebody who is not supposed to be in their world.
Annabel and Will and their friends do the same thing every single day. The men go to some club and pretend to golf or gossip. While the women go to lunch and pretend to eat or gossip. And then in the evenings they all congregate in one of their apartments and sit on couches drinking and talking about how perfect their lives are. Most people would be bored but these are not most people, they have never had to do anything.
Most of this group of socialites come from generational wealth, think the Vanderbilts. Annabel is a little bit different, her dad started out as a poor, working class actor and rose to fame as a Tony winner. She’s one generation removed but still knows when New York City was an hospitable place for artists. She also wants to be an actor but when you’re born rich and famous you just have to find someone you know who will let you be in their play.
There’s an incident that occurs very early on which I don’t want to spoil because it happens so unexpectedly but it perfectly reveals to Annabel the differences between her rich friends who aren’t really friends and have no human emotions, and Theo, a person she barely knows but can understand and communicate how she’s feeling and then comfort her.
A New York Story is a love story, but one that takes us through the journey of being a bored New York elitist. It’s on the slow side, and some of the philosophizing seems over-written, but I was really drawn to Annabel’s dilemma. She knows the privileges that being in the circle of New York’s wealthiest can offer, but at what cost?
I loved the editing every time Annabel leaves one of the rich parties and finds Theo instead. Annabel and Theo share so many moments that are funny, that it’s so easy to build a connection with them. It’s a romantic drama with a different flavour. It’s not really about money but the moral responses to money.
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