This overstuffed movie fails to wrap up its myriad professional and domestic dramas, despite a few moments of promise.
A series of unfortunate domestic events befalls three adult siblings in Ben Snyder’s “Allswell in New York,” which plays like a family sitcom that forgot the comedy.
Daisy (Elizabeth Rodriguez, who co-wrote the screenplay) owns a restaurant named Allswell and longs to be a mother. Her sister, Ida (Liza Colón-Zayas of “The Bear”), is a clinical counselor searching for their elder brother, who disappeared years earlier. And their sister-in-law, Serene (Daphne Rubin-Vega), is busy trying to rein in her defiant daughter, Connie (Shyrley Rodriguez), who’s blazing a trail through her terrible 20s.
When we drop into this picture of present-day New York City, Daisy and Ida are facing work strains and Serene is unable to locate Connie; on top of all that, Daisy has invited a young pregnant woman from Craigslist into her home. The expectant mother (Mackenzie Lansing) intends to have Daisy adopt her child, but hesitates to put the agreement in writing.
If few of the melodramatic plot lines wrap up by the end, at least the members of the ensemble cast commit to their roles with naturalistic gusto. Moments of promise outshine the gloomy chaos, as when a nurse named Clint (J. Cameron Barnett, stealing many scenes) pantomimes words of solace for Ray (Michael Rispoli), Ida’s emotionally dense boyfriend, to recite to her while she weeps. The brief exchange achieves an admirable balance of pathos and play to which the rest of the movie can only aspire.
Allswell in New York
Rated R for family feuds. Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes. In theaters.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
