LIFF 2023: The Sweet East Review

SPOILER AND CONTENT WARNING

Sean Price Williams’ (cinematographer of Good Time) directorial debut The Sweet East is a film that throws its audience into the deep end of absurdity and is at no point predictable. Imagine if Lewis Carroll’s Alice encountered affluent anarchists and delusional New York filmmakers instead of the White Rabbit or Cheshire Cat.

We follow high schooler Lillian (Talia Ryder) on a school trip to Washington D.C that is soon a nightmarish mayhem. The actress brings a captivating performance with a similar naturalistic style delivery to Never Rarely Sometimes Always. While in an arcade bar bathroom, away from her classmates, an active shooter situation breaks out. She is able to escape with Caleb (Earl Cave), the first of many unhinged encounters found in this modern fairy-tale. The film weaves its way through various groups and factions of the US with satirical insight. Characters from each episode become enthralled with Lillian as she crafts alternative backstories to suit her new companions. Abandoning and adapting with ease. 

The protagonist’s road trip is one that stumbles from a crew of failed punk activists to a Neo-Nazi barbecue and into a creepy dynamic with a fascist academic possessing a Lolita complex- something that she uses to her advantage. Simon Rex’s portrayal of Lawrence is particularly uncomfortable. But that is not even all the strange experiences that occur in this journey.

Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy O. Harris deliver stand-out performances as Molly and Matthew- a director and producer team played with great comedic exaggeration. Both convince Lillian to star in their period piece, projecting their artistic pretension onto a new muse. When Jacob Elordi joins the bizarre production as Ian (an actor tabloids flock to), Williams is able to showcase the talent of Hollywood’s young rising stars within his surreal vision.

The picture’s grainy 16mm film creates a nostalgic and dreamy world for its characters: modern devices like mobile phones and the occasional vape are featured but The Sweet East seems to exist in its own timeless space. Outlandish fantasy blends with contemporary reality to create a feature that shocks and entertains. One of the funniest moments was towards the film’s end when Lillian is escaping another temporary living situation. By now she is wearing a period piece dress from her indie film shoot escapade- making her the image of a dishevelled Little Bo-Peep. She is able to charm her way out of any conflict with the brothers of her rescuer (played by Rish Shah) but not before the man she is talking to asks her: ‘Do you like EDM or drum and bass?’. Lillian leaves the scene with a hilariously titled mixtape CD, venturing onto her next quest.

I had no idea what to expect from The Sweet East. The short clip I saw of Talia on the streets of New York did not prepare me for the surreal chaos I would experience. It is definitely worth a watch.

The Sweet East has its final of three screening at LIFF on Thursday 9th November at Vue The Light. You can read our preview of the festival here or a student’s survival guide.