Please Give – at FACT

Three generations of New York residents struggle with life in the big city, in this excellent new film.

Saw a great film at FACT last night - Please Give. The latest angsty New York exploration by director Nicole Holofcener, Please Give is a masterpiece of understatement. Every character is quietly fighting for his or her life yet, above the surface, all looks calm and controlled. Gently comic, and searingly honest about the peculiar horrors facing us at every stage of our lives, fans of The Ice Storm, or The Squid and the Whale will love it. Get on down to FACT this week to catch it (there was only four of us in Screen 1 when we went last night). In a summer of brainless blockbusters and empty-headed sequels, Please Give shows us that cinema still has the power to speak quietly, but carry a big stick.