Staff Pick Premiere: "Sickboy" by Julian Muller

Ina curates videos at Vimeo. She also host screenings with some of her favorite films and has programmed at a number of film festival. @pira.ina on Instagram.
Ina Pira

“You don’t know my name, do you?” It’s a cringe-worthy question no matter the context, but in the age of near-instant hookups, it’s also become a familiar dating trope. In Julian Muller’s Staff Pick Premiere “Sickboy” this question and seemingly comedic set-up turns into something more troubling as it prompts Jeff, the film’s protagonist, to quickly abandon his date altogether. The ease of his exit lets us know he’s done this before.

As Jeff roams aimlessly through NYC, drinking and rambling, it’s clear that Muller and screenwriter Conor Champley have a more humanist character study in mind. With cinematographer John Kopec, their work explores homelessness and mental health with empathetic eyes. 

Shot on film and inspired by the Safdie brothers’ gritty New York portraits, “Sickboy” feels like it’s headed in a downward spiral until Jeff spots his next con sitting on a park bench. Antonio Magro’s performance as Jeff is rooted in loneliness but the charm that lures his victims is so convincing that their chemistry seems undeniable. Jeff walks a fine line between an expert freeloader and someone simply doing his best to survive. In the film’s final moments, a real human connection might finally change his way. 

To learn more about how “Sickboy” came together, we reached out to Muller and Champley, who both also produced the film. Below are excerpts from our conversation.

On the inspiration for the film: 

Muller: “The initial seed for this film came from a desire to tell a story about homelessness in New York City. There’s a statistic that 50% of all New Yorkers are just one paycheck away from being homeless, and I wanted to create something that was in conversation. ‘Sickboy’ was definitely a collaboration between myself, Conor, and Antonio, the actor who plays Jeff. We knew of a story about a guy who survived on the streets by meeting women and getting them to take him home at night. I was interested in building on that idea to show a more personal, intimate journey of what that life might look like that wasn’t judgmental in its portrayal.”

On writing about homelessness and mental health: 

Champley: “I’ve always had a lifelong fear of becoming homeless. During a near breakup with someone I lived with, I realized I didn’t have the means to find a new apartment on my own, and I wondered what I would have to do to survive. I tried to understand how mental illness ties to homelessness, what homelessness can do to us as people, and how much homelessness can set us back into the margins of society. This character is young enough to still have possible connections he can reach out to for help, but because he still sees himself above others, he has too much pride to do so. Without a support system, or any real human connection, this is where his mental illness could really begin to unfold.”

On the film’s influences: 

Muller: “I was definitely influenced by the Safdie Brothers’ films like ‘Heaven Knows What,’ ‘Good Time,’ and ‘The Pleasure of Being Robbed.’ (I think you can definitely hear a little ‘Good Time’ in our soundtrack.) I love the raw emotion and grittiness of their films and wanted to emulate that, especially in portraying darker subject matter and characters who are lost or struggling with addiction or depression. I was also influenced by filmmakers who embrace realism, like John Cassavetes, Frederick Wiseman, Sean Baker, and Josh Mond.”

On shooting on film in New York City: 

Muller: “I think the biggest challenge with this project was the decision to shoot on film and making it work on an indie budget. We knew that aesthetic was so important to the look we wanted to achieve. We were limited in virtually all of our resources how many days we could shoot, how much film and processing we could afford, and the availability of our cast and crew — but we all pulled together and made it work. Another challenge was that we had to shoot a lot of the film run-and-gun on the streets of NYC. We were battling unpredictable noise, traffic, crowds, weather, you name it. Our cinematographer, John Kopec, and our entire crew were amazingly patient and kept the production running smoothly in the face of it all.”

On advice for aspiring filmmakers: 

Champley:Just remember to understand the story you are trying to tell, and most importantly, make sure everyone on your team understands what the story is trying to say. The second the writer, director, or key cast have different views about what the film will be, you’re in deep trouble. Make sure you’re all on the same page from day one. That said, as long as you understand that, you won’t hold on to the little things as tightly. It will all flow, and you will experience collaboration at its best. And all of the constant feedback, changes, suggestions, and rewrites will be easier for you to interpret. You’ll immediately recognize when a good note will make the story even stronger, and everything else will stop weighing you down.”

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