Arnold Barkus Movies
- 2001
A man searching for the truth about his brother finds out more than he ever expected to learn in this semi-improvised independent drama. Abe Polonski (Richard Edson) works in his family's textile business alongside his brothers Ben (Jeff Ware) and Josh (Arnold Barkus). One day, Josh is shot to death while leaving the shop with Abe; while Ben warns him to stay out of it, Abe is determined to find out who killed his brother and why. The deeper Abe digs into his brother's life, though, the more unpleasant surprises he finds; it seems that Josh was involved in some serious financial double-dealings, and Jill (Meg Hartig), the woman he had been dating, is a prostitute. Abe talks to Jill, hoping to find out what his brother was trying to do, and he soon finds himself falling in love with her. Abe is determined to save Jill from a life on the streets, but he finds out the hard way that her pimp isn't willing to let her go. I Am Josh Polonski's Brother was shot in 15 days, using Super-8 film stock, and with much of the dialogue improvised on the spot by the cast; the film was the second feature for Raphael Nadjari, who also worked with Richard Edson on his first feature, The Shade. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Edson, Jeff Ware, (more)
- 1997
Writer-director Jonathan Nossiter's first feature film is a moody exploration of assaults upon, and shifts in, personal identity. The movie's action all takes place on a Sunday in a poor section of the New York City borough of Queens. Oliver (David Suchet) is a newly homeless middle-aged man who was downsized out of his job as a mid-level functionary at a computer corporation and lost his wife and family because of his employment troubles. Out walking in the borough, Oliver collides with Madeleine Vesey (Lisa Harrow), an out-of-work British actress who is in the process of breaking up with her American husband, Ben (Larry Pine). Madeleine mistakes Oliver for Matthew Delacorta, a famous film director, and Oliver goes along with the mistake, hoping that it will help him to escape his misery. Madeleine hopes that she can make an impression that will land her a film role, so she invites her new friend up to her apartment. When Oliver tells her his life story, she mistakes it for an invented movie plot because Madeleine lives her life in a fantasy world, pretending reality is a film. After the two lost souls have sex without emotion, Ben shows up. He tells Oliver that his recent open-heart surgery wounds were caused by a knife attack from Madeleine. Oliver leaves as the estranged couple argues, but he returns to retrieve his precious winter coat, and he becomes further entangled in the fantasy of a new identity. Sunday won the Grand Jury prize at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Suchet, Lisa Harrow, (more)
- 1997
American actor-director Arnold Barkus made this low-budget French film, a comedy set in New York, with scenes taking place in Chinatown, in a Franco-Greek cabaret, and on the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn-born Max (Barkus) suspects his girlfriend Sophia has been cheating on him. His French pal Jean (Jackie Berroyer) and a young woman, Vita (Maria de Madeiros), step in with a scheme to get back at Sophia, a character who is never seen during the entire film. Included is a parody of the Russian roulette scene from The Deer Hunter (1978). Dialogue is in English and French. The screenplay by Barkus and Berroyer is adapted from Berroyer's novel La Femme de Berroyer est Plus Belle Que Toi, Connasse! ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Berroyer, Arnold Barkus, (more)
- 1992
Anton is a Polish sailor on shore leave in New York City. He is not only clueless about the city but is irritatingly obtuse about many things. He has struck up an acquaintance with two of the city's foreign residents and has moved into their tiny apartment with them, missing his ship in the process. He doesn't have a visa to stay in the U.S. but seemingly doesn't care. However, when Barbara, a French native, runs into immigration difficulties, Anton goes out of his way to find her a husband. Typically, he does this by dragging Barbara around New York and asking practically every man he meets whether they're willing to marry her. Not only does this unlikely ploy succeed, but he snares a pleasant and wealthy man as his friend's new husband. One can only imagine what that does for her relationship with her hyperactive and domineering male roommate Wadeck, another Pole. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arnold Barkus
- 1991
Lensed in 16mm black and white on a princely budget of $10,000, Little Stiff is rather obviously an outgrowth of a student film project. Codirector/cowriter Caveh Zahedi plays a dweebish UCLA film major, while his collaborator Greg Watkins costars as his best pal. Zahedi carries a torch for a pretty art student-who, in a burst of Pirandello, is played by Zahedi's real-life ex-flame Erin McKim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Caveh Zahedi
