Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
In 1980, Queens, New York, a young Jewish boy befriends a rebellious African-American classmate to the disapproval of his privileged family and begins to reckon with growing up in a world of inequality and prejudice.
Armageddon James Gray's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama is elevated primarily by its performances, particularly Anthony Hopkins as the grandfather delivering a quietly devastating turn, and Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong bringing nuance to complicated parental figures. The plot follows a familiar bildungsroman template of childhood innocence confronting systemic inequality, and while it's sincere and emotionally grounded, it doesn't break new ground narratively. The cinematography is competent and period-appropriate but unremarkable. Novelty suffers from the well-trodden white-privilege-awakening narrative structure, even if Gray's personal investment adds authenticity. The ending is poignant but somewhat abrupt, leaning on melancholy without fully resolving its thematic tensions.