Artifacts

I saw Artifacts at the IFP Market and was fascinated by the intensity of the performances and the depth of the writing. It's a small film that starts off in a funny, offhand manner and fools you into thinking it's just about guys chattering...before you know it you realize that you've been sitting at the edge of your seat for an hour, hanging on every word, waiting to see what kind of conclusion they're going to come to about life, relationships, themselves. If you require a car-chase and gunplay to go with your popcorn then you probably won't like it, but I highly recommend it to people who enjoy walking out of a theater with something to discuss.

I received a copy of this film not quite sure what to expect. I was a fan of Sean Gullette's from his work with Darren Aronofsky.

The seemingly simple plot, "two guys meet to discuss relationships" opens up a whole world of little nuances and variables. Just like in real conversations, tangents appear, and some lead to fascinating, if often quirky statements. We hear about Jack's three past lovers, and each story preceeds a change in location...like acts in a play.

Sean Gullette is amazing as Jack. He is sensitive, arrogant, and lonely, but also delightful to watch. Rick Mowatt is good as Sonny, but he doesnt' have a lot of real depth of character, and some his comments are a little of of place in the story, but perhaps that is the point.

If only Jack and Max Cohen (Sean Gullette's charcter from "Pi") could meet for a discussion...