John Early in "Stress Positions"
Since March 2020, a number of films and TV series have addressed the life-altering COVID-19 pandemic in their storylines. Often it’s fodder for comedy, since looking back at people furiously wiping down groceries and staying far, far apart from each other can be humorous in retrospect. In some cases, it’s just an extra obstacle to make life a little bit harder and more complicated. In filmmaker Theda Hammel’s feature debut, Stress Positions, staying afloat in a chaotic and isolating time is a considerable challenge for its memorable characters.
John Early stars as Terry, a recently divorced Brooklyn resident watching over his nineteen-year-old nephew from Morocco, Bahlul (Qaher Harhash), as he recovers from an accident...
Terry is very protective both of Bahlul and of his quarantine practices, constantly yelling about the need to mask and vigorously spraying cash with what looks like Febreze. His friend Karla (Hammel), who is navigating her own complicated relationship with her writer girlfriend Vanessa (Amy Zimmer), is very curious about Bahlul, pressing to meet him and to understand this mysterious person somehow linked to her extremely white friend.
This film reunites Hammel and Early following their short My Trip to Spain, which screened two years ago at Sundance. Early is best known for his roles on the TV series Search Party and as an Emmy nominee this past year for Would It Kill You to Laugh? opposite the very funny Kate Berlant. He’s slightly more toned down here, still full of flamboyant nervous energy but more sensible than some of his past characters. He values Bahlul’s privacy and health, and feels a sense of responsibility to him because he’s his uncle.
Hammel is a true find, and this story feels unique and interesting. There are worthwhile moments of comedy where Bahlal points out just how little his American conversation partners know about the Middle East (for starters, it’s not where Morocco is). Bahlal expresses interest in sexuality and gender identity, something the transgender Karla doesn’t discuss much, and Karla mocks Terry for not exploding with a lecture on the evils of religion when the subject comes up, well aware of his tendency to share his opinions on everything with whoever’s listening.
There are many moments of intimacy in this film about people trying to survive and to figure out who they are. Stress Position is broken up into chapters that link to inciting events, like the Internet not working or Bahlal preparing for his twentieth birthday. Another character is Ronald (co-writer Faheem Ali), a delivery guy who has questions about what goes on in the Party House, the common name for Terry’s apartment, and sometimes is as much of a mystery to the other characters as Bahlal.
This film delves into all of its ensemble members through the helpful backdrop of the pandemic, where communication feels even more difficult despite spending time in close quarters with familiar people -- known qualities who pose less of a risk. Hammel has a distinct voice that comes through in her script, direction, and performance. Even if Stress Positions ultimately feels unfinished, this filmmaker is most definitely worth watching. B
Stress Positions screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and is the recipient of the Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Fiction. It will be released by NEON this year. Images courtesy of Sundance Institute.