New York Waiting (2006) Reviews

• Unconventional and Beautiful Romance

  mccaskill2006-05-01

  I saw a screening of New York Waiting at the Tribeca Film Festival, and I was completely captivated by the film. Director Joachim Hedén tells a romantic love story absent of cliché plot turns typically found in American films. His characters are charming, his story poetic, and as an audience we're given the opportunity to respond emotionally to his film without being manipulated into a prescribed reaction. He uses the camera with conscious restraint and places a strong emphasis on dialogue, reminiscent of Richard Linklater's Before Sunset. Hedén's choice of music adds a wonderful texture to the film, and I hope that New York Waiting is picked up by a distributor and shown to larger audiences. Many people should see this lovely film. Bravo and well done.

• A voyage of softly sweet, madly charming romance

  pefe_12006-11-01

  As a Swede I often avoid seeing movies made by Swedes. Because usually Swedish filmmakers cant refrain from copycatting old, boring and uninspiring Hollywood clichés. But this time thanks to a friend of mine I was taken on a beautiful voyage. A voyage of softly sweet, madly charming romance. If I wanted any movie from Sweden that is made after the year 2000 be shown worldwide this would be a perfect candidate. This movie is poetic in its scene/location selections as well as in its storyline. The beat is slow but ever so captivating. It enchants the viewer right from the start, making you sadly wanting to remember or forget your own past, just to relive what seems so familiar and nicely put in the movie about love, desire and hope.

• Nice

  benjaminmyklebust2006-08-23

  This movie is nice. I'll still save stronger words for other occasions. I saw this movie at the Malmö Festival in Malmö Sweden. I was sitting at home, and I was getting bored, and had a look at what was happening - and I saw this film on the program. It was free, and I didn't have anything to lose (except I got wet from the South Swedish rain on my way there). First, a positive surprise was that Joachim Hedén himself was there, and he introduced the movie with very few words, maybe he thought there were more like me - who didn't really know what they were about to see, and he wanted to keep the virginal feeling. I was positively surprised: The movie had a simple story that was beautifully told, without Hollywood clichés, with sometimes surprising lines - "you don't say that in American romantic movies". Some times I feel like familiar faces on the screen subtracts from the movie. The character is brand new to you - so why shouldn't the faces be? Personally I enjoy watching movies with actors I have seen nowhere before, and these have a very short track record. Any insufficiencies they may have in terms of inexperience is made up with this, IMO. What strikes me the most about this movie though, is its very close resemblance to "Before Sunrise" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/) with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy: Boy meets girl for one single day. However, the basic setting for the movie is different, and it does take some different turns, maybe a little bit more complex story. But the scenes, the mood and the style of the movie are extremely similar. Nevertheless, if you like "Before Sunrise" you'll like this one.

• Saw it and Loved it!

  creedsucksass2006-05-14

  I saw this film at the Tribecca Film Festival. It was a great movie. None of the typical Hollywood clichés, or endings. It was thoughtful and beautifully shot. The flashback scenes in black and white were perfect. The soundtrack was phenomenal and i hope it get released as well. The acting was superb. The three leads were amazing. I especially liked the acting of Katrina Nelson! She is someone to watch out for. The director really loves NYC. The shots he used to portray the city were perfectly placed in the film. Even though the director is not from NYC, it really appears that he loves the city. I am a huge fan of movies that don't follow the typical Hollywood pattern, and this one did not follow the typical Hollywood pattern. I can't wait to see more from Hedem and the cast.

• A brave production that paid off

  mcravener2006-11-20

  The cast was well-composed, consisting of talented new faces, the acting bravely filmed at close range, especially considering the (I'm sure) extremely restricted time allocated to make this film for $500,000. Some pans, cuts and single camera shots didn't work out, but the all-out intimacy of the close-ups paid off, and the acting made the movie. And yes although the picture does have a scenario similar to Richard Linklaters, New York Waiting is not as glib. Paradoxically by providing the viewer with little biographical background on the characters Sidney, Amy and Coreen, their longing and sometimes misdirected need came sharper into focus than "Before Sunrise", and was in its nakedness more akin to Michael Schaeffer's "Fall" (1997). Finally, an accolade for the original choices made in the soundtrack, which smoothly meshed with the film.