Allswell in New York
Written and Directed by Ben Snyder
Starring Elizabeth Rodriguez, Liza Colón-Zayas, Daphne Rubin-Vega
Rated R
Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
In theaters October 18

by Mo Moshaty, Staff Writer

In Allswell in New York, three Nuyorican sisters tackle the overwhelming trials of single motherhood, demanding careers, and complex family ties, all while unearthing humor and comfort in their unbreakable sisterly bond.

Youngest sister, Daisy (Elizabeth Rodriguez), eagerly welcomes her surrogate, Nina (Mackenzie Lansing), whose silent demeanor unnerves her. In her excitement, Daisy overcompensates by overspending and pampering Nina, unaware that the young woman harbors a dark secret that threatens to unravel their already fragile future and peace. Coupled with running a bar with curmudgeonly Tim (Max Casella) and the ever absent and brutish Gabe (Bobby Carnevale) she’s running in circles in a quest to make sure nothing riles Nina to make her regret this arrangement. 

Older sister Ida (Liza Colón-Zayas) navigates her demanding job as an OBGYN while grappling with the recent appearance of her ailing, nomadic brother, Desmond (Felix Solis). Haunted by the same mental illness that afflicted their mother, Desmond's situation takes a turn for the worse when Ida finds him living in a flop house. Determined to help, she takes him to the hospital for treatment, but the road ahead is fraught with a new family dynamic in addition to his health challenges.

Serene (Daphne Rubin-Vega), Desmond’s ex, struggles to balance her career as a vocal teacher with the chaos of her personal life. Her daughter, Connie (Shyrley Rodriguez), a rebellious teenager, tests her patience with sneaking off for days at a time and moonlighting as an exotic model, prompting to Serene to continuously be on high alert and forever worrying about her daughter’s safety. As the sisters face one adversity after another, their resolve is tested, but they discover that love and laughter are the keys to resilience.

Allswell in New York is a poignant exploration of generational trauma and societal expectations, showcasing the resilience of family bonds that stretch but never break. The film features a talented cast including Elizabeth Rodriguez (Orange Is the New Black), Daphne Rubin-Vega (In the Heights), and Emmy-winner Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire), alongside Felix Solis (The Forgotten), Max Casella (Tulsa Kings), Michael Rispoli (The Rum Diary), Shyrley Rodriguez (The Get Down), MacKenzie Lansing (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), and J. Cameron Barnett (Pose). Inspired by the writers’ own experiences, Allswell in New York is an odyssey of love, loss, and the redemptive power of family, capturing the humor and solace found in the unbreakable bond of sisterhood.