Title: Keep the Change
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Rachel Isreal
Starring: Brandon Polansky, Samantha Elisofon, Jessica Walter
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

What It Is: Based on a 2013 short film of the same name this film sees David (Polansky) a man stuck hanging out at a Jewish Rec Center meets Sarah (Elisofon), an autistic woman with a genuine naivety to the world. The two, unlikely lovers begin to see one and other and realize that while one of them may come from money that it cannot buy the happiness that perhaps David seeks and needs and certainly wants.

What We Think: When sitting through this it didn’t hit me what I was getting into. It’s only in this films final scene that you start to realize what is truly happening. When that realization hits its amazing. Not only do Polansky and Elisofon give such realistic and raw performances but Isreal’s camera never feels intrusive or hurtful to the process. All the dialogue while not overly interesting comes off very real and that, in a film like this, is far more important. Maintaining this I think that New York was a perfect place for this to be made. The city comes out as almost a character, particularly Coney Island.

Our Grade: B+, So insofar as a recommendation goes I can give the film that. Where this will struggle is that it feels very slice of life and that can often be off-putting for some. For those willing to check this one out you won’t be unsatisfied. You’ll feel like your journey is great and well earned. I can’t wait to see what Rachel Isreal does next. What I hope for is another very personal film that features actors and actresses that aren’t huge stars, and as in this case perhaps feature some manner of an obstacle. Regardless, check this out if you can find it.