There’s no shortage of young talent in Hollywood. However, if there are two names that have captured the imagination of fans and are set up for success those are Ayo Edebiri and Jacob Elordi. And you can watch them both in “The Sweet East,” a satirical surrealist road trip film, which is now available to watch on digital in the US.
The movie first premiered at the 2023 Cannes Festival, in the Directors’ Fortnight section. It was written by Nick Pinkerton and directed by Sean Price Williams, both in their debuts. Williams is known for being the cinematographer of Safdie brothers’ highly-acclaimed film “Good Time.”
Apart from Edebiri, who is fresh from winning the Golden Globe, Critics Choice, SAG and Emmy awards for her role in “The Bear,” and Elordi, the movie stars Talia Ryder, Earl Cave, Simon Rex, Jeremy O. Harris, and Rish Shah.
What is ‘The Sweet East’ about?
The movie follows Lillian (Ryder), as she’s on a trip to Washington D.C. with the rest of her high school class, when an armed man enters a local restaurant with the intention of stopping the supposed abuse happening in the basement. The scene is a direct reference to the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory.
Lillian will be “rescued” by left-wing political activist Caleb (Cave), who brings her to a home where he lives with other dissidents. From then on, Lillian decides to not return home and she goes on a journey to the Eastern part of the US.
The film has received mostly positive reviews from critics, and boasts a 75 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has been compared to “Alice in Wonderland,” as the protagonist travels down a rabbit hole of absurdity with every new encounter she has.
However, the point of the film is to examine modern America, and its complexities. Critics have praised Williams’ narrative and visual style. However, not everyone is impressed with the result. Chase Hutchinson wrote for Collider that “the longer you look at what can be potent visuals, the more you realize how empty the film itself is,” adding that it doesn’t leave any “real” impression.
You can rent or buy “The Sweet East” on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Youtube, Vudu and more.
