A slow-burning indie about two strangers who spend the day together while trying to collect money from a friend, Or Something covers a range of topics that steadily reel you in.
I have a confession to make – I am not a Before Sunrise fan. I am sorry, I offer my apologies to the millions of people who love the trilogy, but every time I have watched it or watched scenes from it, I just see it as two pretentious people talking. I was an 80s and 90s kid, and I do believe that these films neatly sum up what it was to begin thinking outside of the box for my generation, but watching them now kind of gives me the ick. Do we always sound that highfalutin?
Or Something is about two strangers, Olivia and Amir, who each show up at their friend Teddy’s house to collect some money that he owes them. Explaining that they can go collect it from a guy who owes him money, the two travel across New York City to try to get their cash. Along the way, they engage in conversation and develop a subtle familiarity with each other.
I really liked this film. I suspect that the way I feel about Or Something is the way that many people feel about Before Sunrise. So for me, it was Before Sunrise, but way better, and for the current generation.
Mary Neely and Kareem Rahma are fantastic as Olivia and Amir. Awkward and keeping things close to the vest, the two cover all kinds of timely conversational topics. They both come across as intelligent with rich family and life histories, but because this is a stranger that they are talking to, they’re not interested in divulging too much. It’s not necessary, they’re just trying to collect their money.
Olivia is guarded in much the same way that most women living in a city have to be. Born and raised in Chicago myself, we are all familiar with the need to carry yourself as confident and not someone to be trifled with, occasionally making eye contact with people, but not showing interest so that they know that you know they are there. She needs to take up space, but not too much – just enough so that she can get through her day without being bothered.
Amir, tall and confident, is a little more vulnerable. His friendly demeanor helps to break down Olivia’s walls just a bit so that real conversations can take place, and they do.
There are many moments in Or Something that made me connect emotionally and others that made me think, but there is a wonderful karaoke scene to watch out for as well. At a point where so much talking has taken place, the few minutes of singing feels noticeably more vulnerable in a brand new way.
This low-budget indie is very short and compact, but really packs a punch. It is one of those films that you may not be able to stop thinking about after you watch it, and if that is the case for you, come talk to me. Cause I’ll be thinking about this one for a really long time.
Runtime: 81 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: Not Rated
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Mubi or YouTube, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I have a confession to make – I am not a Before Sunrise fan. I am sorry, I offer my apologies to the millions of people who love the trilogy, but every time I have watched it or watched scenes from it, I just see it as two pretentious people talking. I was an 80s and 90s kid, and I do believe that these films neatly sum up what it was to begin thinking outside of the box for my generation, but watching them now kind of gives me the ick. Do we always sound that highfalutin?
