JIFF: Fantasy Life

Fantasy Life

“Alternately hilarious and devastating, with the vitality of live theatre.” – Variety

“One of the most flagrantly, hilariously Jewish movies in recent memory.” – The Austin Chronicle

Australian Premiere

After losing his job as a paralegal, anxious thirty-something New Yorker Sam takes a job babysitting his psychiatrist’s three granddaughters. The girls’ dad, David (Alessandro Nivola, The Brutalist), is a bassist heading off on tour with his band and their mother, Dianne (Amanda Peet), is an actor whose promising career stalled after parenthood.

Sam and Dianne form a connection that blossoms into a full-blown crush for Sam. But when he’s invited to join the whole family – including his psychiatrist – at their holiday house over the summer, Sam will have to be careful to keep his feelings for Dianne contained.

This hilarious comedy is Matthew Shear’s wryly observed feature debut as writer and director, and he’s clearly learnt the trade straight from the sets he worked on as an actor, including four of Noah Baumbach’s films: Marriage Story, The Meyerowitz Stories, Mistress America and While We’re Young.

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

92 min

Language

English

Cast

Amanda Peet, Matthew Shear, Alessandro Nivola

Director

Matthew Shear