Notice To Quit
Written and Directed by Simon Hacker
Starring Michael Zegen, Kasey Bella Suarez, and Michael Angelo Covino
Rated PG-13
Runtime: 91 minutes
In theatres September 27

by Katharine Mussellam, Staff Writer

It’s a well-worn meme by now, but I can already picture the Letterboxd reviews that will give Notice to Quit, director Simon Hacker’s debut feature, the alternate title of Andy and the Terrible No Good Very Bad Day.

The Andy in question is Andy Singer (Michael Zegen), a divorced, down-on-his-luck New York City realtor stuck struggling to close deals on the most decrepit and bottom-of-the-barrel-quality apartments while his colleagues take their clients to showings of sprawling condos on Park Avenue. When they’re not stealing Andy’s clients, too, that is. To make matters worse, Andy is about to be evicted from his apartment and is in trouble thanks to his side hustle selling the appliances from the same apartments where he closes deals. Jed (Michael Angelo Covino), the leader of the appliance operation, isn’t too happy with the low-quality merchandise Andy has been giving him – he wants more air conditioners, fewer busted dishwashers. He is determined to have Andy pay him back for not keeping up his end of their deal.

All this would be more than enough for one man to deal with on a scorching hot summer day, but then his daughter, Anna (played wonderfully by the expressive Kasey Bella Suarez), arrives at Andy’s place. She’s also not having a good day, since she and her mom will be moving to Florida the next day, a decision Anna had no say in making. In anger, Anna runs off to her father in the hopes he will take her to the zoo while they can still be together. Andy is adamant that he has to work and can’t spend time with her, but Anna is headstrong like her father and doesn’t back down. Thus begins their day together trying to earn enough money to save Andy’s apartment and career while Andy also tries to keep his daughter safe from the dangers that surround them.

While not the most unpredictable of stories, the film is carried by the dynamic between Anna and Andy. His reluctance to spend the day with her clashes with his desire to be a good father. This frustration at her hanging around reminded me of films where two mismatched strangers are forced to work together, even though that isn’t supposed to be their relationship. It feels off at first to see how he speaks to her, but is saved by the performances.

Despite Andy’s flaws and gruffness, Michael Zegen’s performance of the role helps him to remain a compelling character I enjoyed following. Another performer could have been too acerbic, too rough around the edges to still let the redeeming qualities shine through, but Zegen’s delivery makes him hapless and angry but still with some warmth and vulnerability always remaining. Zegen’s chemistry with Suarez also makes for an enjoyable meeting of the two characters. Anna and Andy are alike, but Anna is also more perceptive and easy-going than he is, offering a foil to his more scattered and anxious way of going through life.

Despite its premise having familiar qualities, the film still feels fresh and contemporary. Though filmed on 35mm, by no means a new medium, the film stock allows for a warmth of colour not always seen in films these days that makes the movie stand out. Andy, with his cobbled-together income from different interests and obligations pulling him in different directions feels authentic and will ring true for the many who are trying to eke out a career in the gig economy – even if most of us don’t have to worry about sketchy appliance salesmen coming after us (I hope). His unusual side hustle selling appliances on the sly also makes for some situations I’ve not seen before quite like this. And the relationship between Andy and Anna is ultimately sweet even if you wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be so from the beginning. Not every secondary thread in the story fully pays off, but the core father-daughter relationship still makes this a respectable first feature from Hacker for audiences to savour as we experience the last of summer weather as autumn begins. And feel lucky if they have air conditioning.