IN A NEW YORK MINUTE – A Review by John Strange
In a New York Minute has a slight similarity with one of my favorite Neil Simon films, Plaza Suite (1971). Both films are love stories that take place in New York City, each with three intertwined vignettes related mainly by the characters being in the same location at some point in the story. For In a New York Minute, that location is a Pho restaurant.
Writer/director Ximan Li gives us an edgy film set in and around New York’s Chinatown that follows three ladies with very different lives who are each experiencing love. The love they seek is a very elusive beast.
Amy Chen (Amy Chang) is a food editor dealing with a disastrous breakup. Nina Wong (Celia Au) lives with her family behind the Pho restaurant and hides how she makes her living. Angel Li (Yi Liu) is a Chinese actress in a loveless marriage to a white man, Howard (Erik Lochtefeld), while trying to get her acting career kickstarted in America.
Mr. Simon’s film was filled with laughter, but this film is not a comedy. It is 100% drama. Will these ladies discover their happy ending, or will their lives crash and burn? I found myself rooting for all three ladies to the very end.
I liked the look of the film and its pace. The director, Ximan Li, along with editor David Wen did a great job of interweaving the three stories into a tight-knit whole, keeping us interested throughout the story. The film is dark with hints of light and love. I give it 4.5-stars.
Directed By:
- Ximan Li
Cast:
- Celia Au, Amy Chang, Yi Liu, Ludi Lin, Cheng Pei Pei
Specifications:
Runtime:
Feature:
- 102 Minutes
Studio:
- Gravitas Ventures
Release Date:
Digital:
- 05/03/2022
Region:
- A/1 (U.S. and Canada only)
Language:
- English, Chinese
Trailer:
MPAA Rating:
- NR
Selig Rating:
Film Rating:
- 5 Stars
Picture Quality Rating:
- 5 Stars
Audio Quality Rating:
- 5 Stars
Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars: Should add to your DVD collection at any cost
4 Stars: Worth owning, but try to catch it on sale
3 Stars: Plan to get it, but wait to buy it used
2 Stars: Worth taking a look at, but not owning
1 Star: Pick it up at a garage sale and use it for drinks
0 Stars: Makes a great Trap Shooting target
