Brooklyn 45
Written and Directed by Ted Geoghegan
Starring Anne Ramsay, Ron E. Rains, Jeremy Holm, Larry Fessenden
Unrated
Runtime: 92 minutes
Streaming on Shudder June 9

by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

Content Warning: Use of derogatory slurs and language

With the amount of big-budget films that are thrown at audiences throughout the year, it is easy to forget how so much storytelling can be done with relatively little. Sometimes it feels that we have lost movies that are able to rely on their actors and writing to carry the plot as opposed to tons of sets and big stunt pieces. While these blockbusters are fun, it is reassuring to see movies like Brooklyn 45 and realize that there are still movies being made that can engage audiences without all the bells and whistles.

Brooklyn 45 focuses on 5 friends who are all veterans of World War II. They gather to catch up and support their friend Lt. Col. Clive Hockstatter (Larry Fessenden) who has been extremely troubled after the loss of his wife. They are even more concerned when he asks them to participate in a seance so he can try and communicate with his wife. While hesitant, they decide to support their friend in his supernatural journey. But as the night goes on they realize there is much more going on than they initially thought, and ghosts might just be the least of their concerns.

With the current writers' strike going on it is nice to see a movie that reminds us just how essential writers are to the making of movies. Director Ted Geoghegan wrote this movie with the assistance of his father, who was a quadriplegic Air Force veteran. It is clear how personal this story is and without writers, we would lose this very emotional and personal storytelling. This story shares some connective tissue with the recent release from Neon, Sanctuary. Both movies have a small cast of characters that are usually in one room together and the stories are driven almost entirely by the conversations these characters have. It can be tricky to make something in those small parameters. Sustaining a feature-length film by relying almost solely on writing and performances is truly a work of art itself. While Brooklyn 45 is a dark, and at times difficult, movie to sit with, it proves how a small budget with engaging performances can still be entertaining.

With his 2015 film, We Are Still Here, Geoghegan proved how well he can blend drama with effective horror elements. This is true with Brooklyn 45, but the horror elements are used to propel the more dramatic and socially conscious plot. There are long stretches when you begin to forget that this has supernatural elements at all. Ultimately its story focuses on the many arguments around war, social justice, and politics. Even though its story takes place in 1945, the discussions and debates these characters engage in are ones that we could easily be having today. It is also a reminder of how complicated we are as humans. We contain multitudes, and while you might start off liking or relating to a character in this story, their beliefs and ethics make you question your feelings constantly.

This is clearly a story that Ted Geoghegan needed to write. Considering the horror elements are often tampered down by the larger historical narratives and social issues, it can feel as exhaustive as watching the news or engaging in debates via social media. You can feel the love that was put into crafting this but it is so dark that folks might want to prepare themselves before hand, or have a palette cleanser after the fact. Yet the fact that this can be so hard to engage in is a testament to how much went into making the movie, it aims to challenge its viewers at almost every point and with that it certainly succeeds.

Given the fact that this operates much like a stage production, viewers get plenty of time to get to know these characters and the many facets of their personalities and beliefs. All of the acting is exceptional, it is clear Geoghegan knows how to derive memorable performances out of his cast. One of the stand-out performances is from Jeremy Holm, who plays an openly gay character in the friend group. While it is made clear that he has faced adversities, he still has his own internalized biases and history that make it hard to always empathize with his struggle. Holm does a tremendous job of playing with these complexities and crafting a character that is unique, complicated, and fascinating.

Similar complexities come up with Anne Ramsey’s performance, who plays Marla Sheridan, a woman who made her way through the ranks, even at a time when that felt almost impossible for women. Her character is a pillar of white feminism and the amount of power and privilege she is able to wield over others. Every character opens up like a flower as the story goes on revealing the best and worst parts of themselves. By distilling the film down to basics, audiences really get to sit with the themes and performances, and will find plenty to take away and discuss once the credits role.

By grounding its story in the realities of bigotry, racism, toxic masculinity, and homophobia reminds us that history does not live in a vacuum and that these issues continue to permeate our culture. If you are looking for some escapism there is little to be found in this story, but engaging in this difficult subject matter is also important. The movie reminds us of the importance in confronting our past, trying to do better, and how politics can force the best of us to do the worst. This manages to be personal and universal in its messaging which is an impressive feat. On top of that, it looks great and its set pieces are gorgeous and those bits of beauty are so important as the story goes to some ugly places.