Charm
CHARM tells the story of Malcolm, a young film-loving New Yorker who has grown tired with how gentrified and antiseptic his beloved city has become of late. Everything seemed so much hipper in the old times - the violent, grimy New York of the 70s; the punk and New Age art of the 80s, when Soho was still bohemian and nobody actually lived in Tribeca! The New York of After Hours and Taxi Driver, of Madonna and The Clash. The New York of Son of Sam and Charlie Bronson... Admittedly, Malcolm wasn't even around back then because 1) He's only 30 and 2) He was born in London, but from what he's read, seen and heard, it certainly seemed like a greater melting pot of creativity. New York today was dead. It was boring. It was too rich, too expensive, too snooty and too goddamn clean. And so Malcolm hatches upon an idea to try to reinvigorate New York into becoming the city it once was. In a kind of reverse-Death Wish, he decides to attack members of the public for no apparent reason whatsoever other than they appear to be privileged, boring, or worst of all, hipsters. In an attempt to make New York so-called "great" again, Malcolm goes on a killing rampage designed to get coverage in the press, which will make it seem as if NYC is dangerous again, potentially starting a mini crime wave, causing the well-to-do to evacuate the city (or at least the lower parts of the city), which would eventually drop the rent prices, which would allow more artists and bohemians to filter back in, which would spur on creativity, which in turn would lead New York on its path to becoming the great city it once was...
Starring James DeBello, Rebecca Dayan, Jennifer Murray
Director Ashley Cahill