Urbania

Something different, definitely indie for our next Rialto Recommends. URBANIA was released in the fall of 2000 after premiering in January of that year at Sundance. Welcome to URBANIA, where your life can change in a second. An enigmatic and engaging young man named Charlie has experienced a trauma, but he's doing his best to regain control of his life. When he notices a mysterious stranger at a distance, Charlie comes to believe he's found the key to his recovery. As he travels the city in an effort to encounter the stranger again, he meets old intimates and new acquaintances. Variety raved "One of the boldest entries in 2000 Sundance Fest, Shear's impressive debut is a darkly intriguing drama that probes the nature of love and lasting effects of loss, beautifully played by Dan Futterman (who later became known as the scripter of Capote)" While the Austin Chronicle said "It’s impossible to shake the feeling of impending danger or imminent despair while watching URBANIA, which is why this bleakly shot film is so gut-wrenching to watch at times. That said, it’s worth it. Every step closer to unraveling the plot is a hard-fought, though intriguing, victory, and the more the pieces fall into place, the more visceral URBANIA becomes." URBANIA is streaming on Amazon Prime and Tubi HERE.