Listen Up Philip

I recently discovered Alex Ross Perry's films when I rented "Queen of Earth", which I felt was the best psychological horror film I've seen in some time. "Listen Up Philip" is a completely different flavor than "Queen of Earth" but just as potent. Perry fashions his characters with a particular cold cruelty to them, and yet I never find myself hating them. It's a deft trick, one few writers can pull off. This is a highly stylized film with a particular type of narration that Woody Allen has been attempting as of late but failing it. By contrast, Perry uses his narration to deftly weave his characters together whilst seemlessly passing the focus of the story between them. This is a master class in story construction and world building, and the actors pull off the script marvelously well. I'm very impressed by Perry's work and I'm quite sad none of his other films are currently available to rent. I think Perry is a true talent to watch in upcoming years - I can't wait to see what he does next. 4/5

Listen Up Philip on Netflix