After a stint in prison, Ace (Rasan Kuvly) returns home with two strikes on his record and anger issues galore. Depression and resentment kick in once he realizes there are no balloons or cake waiting for him; no opportunities to be offered for a man reeling. A new lease on life and repurposed energy should be in the cards as he simply wants to start over. The reality is, his girl has moved on, money ain’t what it used to be, and this isn’t the same bustling city he left behind. Yet, what is reality to a young man who feels like the world has left him behind? But don’t worry, hustlers find a way, and in the end, it’s all good.

Visual and sonic artistry takes center stage as the impeccably talented $ECK brings out all the stops for a directorial feature debut dripping in style. A poetic, lyrical, and substantive character portrait rooted in the lives some in our society lead with nary a spotlight. He creates a vision of New York that feels uniquely his own, while creating avenues for Ace and other relatable characters to bring empathy and understanding to the forefront with a good tinge of charm.—Casey Baron

$ECK