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Film Review: GOD’S WAITING ROOM: A Depressing Film That Features Intriguing Performances [Tribeca 2021]

Gods Waiting Room Tyler Riggs

God’s Waiting Room Review

God’s Waiting Room (2021) Film Review from the 20th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie directed by Tyler Riggs, and starring Matthew Leone, Nisalda Gonzalez, Tyler Riggs, Ray Benitez, Renata Eastlick, Paulina Galvez, Leah Maxwell, David Meneses, Michelle Nunez and Jarron Webster.

Director Tyler Riggs’ harrowing new film, God’s Waiting Room, features three solid principal performances but is ultimately undermined by its heavy, devastating climax. One is simply not adequately prepared for the film’s conclusion by the scenes that precede it. Set in Tampa Florida, we meet three characters whose lives will ultimately intersect.

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One of these characters is an ex-convict named Brandon (played quite well by Riggs, the director). He is trying to make a new life for himself as he meets with a woman who is trying to place him in a new job. Brandon has served over a decade in prison and seemingly has no choice but to reform himself if he wants to live a new life on the outside.

Rosie (extraordinarily played by Nisalda Gonzalez) is the film’s most likable character. She’s an aspiring singer/musician. Her blue-collar construction worker father (played by Ray Benitez in another compelling performance) wants nothing but the best for his daughter and he goes to work every day for Rosie’s well-being. Rosie’s mom is not around anymore and this makes the father want to be able to provide Rosie with the parental guidance she needs.

Rounding out the three principal characters is Jules (Matthew Leone is a raw, authentic performance) who is a drug dealer from New York who finds himself attracted to Rosie. We find out, later in the film, Jules is a disappointment to his working-class mother who is a bartender who wishes she didn’t have to work anymore. Leone runs away with the strongest performance in the film here playing the character of Jules who lives on the edge.

Jules and Rosie enter into a passionate romance and the early scenes in the picture hint at a different type of plot development than what is actually revealed. One scene in a swimming pool is very romantic and leaves the viewer hopeful that something more positive will come from these characters’ connection. However, Rosie’s dad and Jules don’t get along and automatically make the love story doomed. We can tell at this point; this story won’t have a happy ending.

Meanwhile, Brandon gets a job cleaning a pool and is asked by his female employer for sex at one point making his character very uncomfortable. Brandon participates in the sexual activity only to be haunted by his choice. The viewer is also, unfortunately, haunted by the devastating consequences of Brandon giving up his job cleaning the pool.

The title, God’s Waiting Room, is, quite bluntly, a slang term for people in Florida who are waiting to die. This term may have been coined due to the large overall senior citizen population there but it seems to apply to the younger people in this film as well. Only Rosie can, possibly, escape a dire fate but you’ll have to see the film to find out if she does. And, seeing this film, will require patience and understanding especially regarding the fact that the film does not have a happy conclusion.

This film reminded me of a Sundance movie I saw from 1997 titled Eye of God which featured Martha Plimpton and Nick Stahl. Set in a dead-end Oklahoma town, it paralleled people’s lives and surrounded them with a story that had a devastating conclusion. I mention it because God’s Waiting Room would be an interesting companion piece to that picture. Both films are hugely depressing and feature people living small lives that are tragically doomed. Both films are at about the same level in terms of quality but are similar in ways that you should see for yourself.

God’s Waiting Room is not a great film or even a very good one. It’s not something I would recommend but the quality of the three central performances is undeniable. Riggs is hauntingly effective; Gonzalez and Leone create some believable chemistry and there is a striking music score that helps define the characters. Unfortunately, the tale is too devastating to be of interest to the mainstream movie-going public at large. It could find an audience, though, due to the quality of the acting which is definitely above average.

Rating: 5/10

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Thomas Duffy

Thomas Duffy is a graduate of the Pace University New York City campus and has been an avid movie fan all of his life. In college, he interviewed film stars such as Minnie Driver and Richard Dreyfuss as well as directors such as Tom DiCillo and Mark Waters. He is the author of nine works of fiction available on Amazon. He's been reviewing movies since his childhood and posts his opinions on social media. You can follow him on Twitter. His user handle is @auctionguy28.
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