Paper Spiders
{{Short description|2021 American drama film}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Paper Spiders
| image = Paper Spiders.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| director = Inon Shampanier
| producer = Ash Christian
Anne Clements
| writer = Natalie Shampanier
Inon Shampanier
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| starring = Lili Taylor
Stefania LaVie Owen
Peyton List
Ian Nelson
| narrator =
| music = Ariel Blumenthal
| cinematography = Zach Kuperstein
| editing = Joe Murphy
| studio = Cranium Entertainment
Idiot Savant Pictures
| distributor = Entertainment Squad
| released = {{Film date|2020|09|24|Boston Film Festival|2021|05|07}}
| runtime = 110 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
}}
Paper Spiders is a 2020 American drama film directed by Inon Shampanier, written by Natalie and Inon Shampanier, and starring Lili Taylor and Stefania LaVie Owen.{{cite web|last=Linden|first=Sheri|title='Paper Spiders': Film Review|date=2 September 2020|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paper-spiders-film-review-dances-with-films-2020|access-date=22 November 2020}}{{cite web|last=Tartaglione|first=Nancy|title=Cercamon Boards 'Paper Spiders' Sales; Drama Stars Lili Taylor, Stefania LaVie Owen & Peyton List – EFM|date=20 February 2020|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/cercamon-boards-paper-spiders-sales-drama-stars-lili-taylor-stefania-lavie-owen-peyton-list-efm-1202864206/|access-date=22 November 2020}}{{cite web|last=Hipes|first=Patrick|title=Lili Taylor & Stefania LaVie Owen To Star In Mental Illness Drama 'Paper Spiders'|date=24 April 2019|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/paper-spiders-lili-taylor-stefania-lavie-owen-to-star-mental-illness-drama-1202600468/|access-date=22 November 2020}} It tells the story of a high school girl struggling to help her mother, whose paranoid delusions spiral out of control. It is described as "a bittersweet story about coming of age in the shadow of mental illness."{{Citation|last=Shampanier|first=Inon|title=Paper Spiders|date=2020-09-24|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9690328/|type=Drama|others=Peyton List, Lili Taylor, Max Casella, David Rasche|publisher=Buffalo 8 Productions, Cranium Entertainment, Idiot Savant Pictures|access-date=2020-11-29}}
Plot
Dawn recently lost her husband and experiences growing anxiety as her daughter Melanie plans to move away for college. An argument with a hostile new neighbor aggravates Dawn's mental condition, and she begins to show signs of paranoid delusions. Determined to help her mom, Melanie attempts a series of interventions, hoping that her guidance counselor, a private investigator or even a new date may help, but to no avail. Melanie navigates her friendship with Lacy and romance with the troubled Daniel while trying to keep her mother afloat, but challenging Dawn's reality of persecution threatens to destroy their loving relationship. Melanie is forced to make the toughest of choices as she struggles to support her mother on the path toward recovery and healing.{{Citation|last=Shampanier|first=Inon|title=Paper Spiders|access-date=2021-05-07|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9690328/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl}}
Cast
- Lili Taylor as Dawn
- Stefania LaVie Owen as Melanie
- Peyton List as Lacy
- Ian Nelson as Daniel
- David Rasche as Bill
- Max Casella as Gary
- Michael Cyril Creighton as Mr. Wessler
- Tom Papa as Howard
- Jennifer Cody as Mrs. Jensen
- Hunter Foster as Professor Stern
- Deanna McKinney as Officer Gina Morales
- Susannah Berryman as Psychiatrist
- Tanya Thompson as Principal
Production
The film was shot in Syracuse, New York in May 2019.{{cite web|last=Hebert|first=Geoff|date=10 October 2020|title='Paper Spiders' movie filmed in Syracuse now showing at virtual film festival|url=https://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/2020/10/paper-spiders-movie-filmed-in-syracuse-now-showing-at-virtual-film-festival.html|access-date=22 November 2020|publisher=Syracuse.com}}
Premiere
The film premiered at the Boston Film Festival on September 24, 2020, where it won the top prizes for Best Film, Best Actress (Lili Taylor), Best Screenplay and Best Ensemble Cast.{{Cite web|title=Boston Film Festival: Schedule|url=https://www.bostonfilmfestival.org/schedule.shtml|access-date=May 22, 2021|website=www.bostonfilmfestival.org}}
Release
The film was released on May 7, 2021 in select theaters and on VOD platforms.{{Cite web|title=Paper Spiders official site|url=https://paperspiders.com/|access-date=2021-03-08|website=paperspiders.com}} The release was slated for Mother's Day Weekend and Mental Health Awareness Month.{{Cite web|title=Entertainment Squad acquires Paper Spiders|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/entertainment-squad-acquires-paper-spiders-aafca-film-directors-womens-history-month-celebration-film-briefs-1234706030/|access-date=2021-03-08|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=4 March 2021}}
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes assessed all 44 critics' reviews as positive for a 100% rating. The critics' consensus reads: "A coming-of-age drama that thoughtfully handles hard-hitting themes, Paper Spiders is anchored by heartbreaking performances from its leads."{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/paper_spiders|title=Paper Spiders (2021)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}} The film was included on Rotten Tomatoes Top 10 Best Films of 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/2021-best-movies/|title=The Best Movies of 2021|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}
Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Taylor plays Dawn’s slide into this mental health crisis beautifully, and with conviction, and Stefania Owen is stunning [...] Along with the emotionally stripped performances of Taylor and Owen, that personal experience brings a rare honesty and authenticity to this film about mental illness."{{Cite web|title=Review: Lili Taylor struggles with mental illness in 'Paper Spiders'|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-05-07/review-paper-spiders-lili-taylor-mental-illness|date=May 7, 2021|first=Katie|last=Walsh|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=June 24, 2021}} Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter called it "A message film spiked with welcome humor, and its excellent cast is led by the reliably compelling Lili Taylor".{{Cite web|title='Paper Spiders': Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/paper-spiders-film-review-dances-with-films-2020-4054563/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Sheri|last=Linden|date=September 2, 2020|access-date=June 24, 2021}}
Lili Taylor received a Gotham Award nomination for her Outstanding Lead Performance in the film.{{Cite web|title=Gotham Awards 2021 Nominations|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/10/gotham-awards-2021-nominations-1234673141/|work=InideWire|first=Zack|last=Sharf|date=October 21, 2021|access-date=Dec 18, 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://paperspiders.com}}
- {{IMDb title|9690328}}
- {{rotten-tomatoes|paper_spiders}}