in the wake of the untimely death of buddy duress, i am reminded of the magnetic energy i felt discovering the safdie brothers.
i first watched good time in film school, thanks to one of my only cool teachers (european). while i loved the film, i loved the safdie brothers‘ ethos even more.
they scouted their stars from around the city - interesting people with tough lives. from reading and listening to podcasts, it seemed hectic. buddy durress wasn’t a trained actor, he was sometimes homeless and other times locked up at rikers. how do you manage that kind of talent?
the article i’m including in this post could explain what the safdie brothers accomplish better than i can. their film heaven knows what is one of my all time favorites - but the story behind it solidifies why it’s so important.
i’m not sure what arielle holmes is up to now, but i’m grateful she indulged everyone long enough to be able to make that film.