Ry Russo-Young Movies

A young New York artist upsets the balance in a Southern California household in this drama from Ry Russo-Young (You Won't Miss Me) and Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture). A 23-year-old woman named Martine (Olivia Thirlby) has just arrived in Silver Lake when she moves into a wealthy family's pool house, and begins working to complete her art film. Meanwhile, laid-back father of two Peter (John Krasinski) agrees to his wife's request to help their young guest finish the project. The more time Martine spends with her surrogate family, however, the more apparent it becomes no one will walk away from this situation unchanged. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Independent filmmaker Joe Swanberg (Hannah Takes the Stairs, Nights and Weekends) writes, directs, and produces this intimate marriage drama focusing on the troubled union of an artistic young couple. As temptations both sexual and creative in nature challenge the couple's monogamous relationship, the facade of happiness fades to reveal the hardships of modern marriage. Jess Weixler, Justin Rice, and Jane Adams star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Two women struggle with their personal demons as well as their troubled bonds in this independent drama. Rosie (Lily Wheelwright) and Sonia (James Katharine Flynn) are two sisters in their twenties who haven't seen one another in five years, having been on bad terms since their parents died in an auto accident. Despite their differences, Sonia asks Rosie to come home for her birthday party, and Rosie agrees. The party turns out to be a two-person affair held in an old farmhouse in the midst of a blizzard, and as the siblings try to buffer their tensions with drugs and alcohol, they bond in an alternately loving and painful manner as they confront their pasts. However, Sonia's troubling attempts to reconcile with Rosie leads to a surprising request Rosie isn't certain she can fulfill. The first feature film from writer and director Ry Russo-Young, Orphans was screened as part of the 2007 South by Southwest Film Festival, where her short film Marion was an award-winner in 2006. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

American independent filmmaker Joe Swanberg's 2007 feature Hannah Takes the Stairs concerns Hannah (Greta Gerwig), a recent college graduate who spends one long, unsatisfying summer in the Windy City attempting to achieve romantic fulfillment in a seemingly endless series of relationships. Drifting in and out of infatuation, but never quite reaching satisfaction, Hannah begins to pose an emotional threat to herself and those around her. The picture co-stars filmmakers Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha) and Todd Rohal (The Guatemalan Handshake) as well as screenwriter Kent Osborne (The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie). Gerwig co-authored the script with Osborne and Swanberg. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi