Glenn Heath Jr.’s review published on Letterboxd:
San Diego CityBeat review.
Desperate men can only outrun delusion for so long. Hunter Gatherer measuredly embodies this process via the lives of two fringe characters that mistake treading water for entrepreneurial ambition. Set in a low-income black neighborhood, the film takes on a low-key tone toward issues of poverty and inequality, occasionally mixing in bits of magical realism. Director Josh Locy’s debut is not your typical American indie, even if it might initially seem to be.
When Ashley (Andre Royo) returns from a lengthy prison stint he finds an unfamiliar world that has already moved on. In the opening scene, he frantically calls old friends trying to get them to come over for his welcome home party. Each invite is vehemently rejected. Only Ashley’s mother is present, quietly setting up decorations and putting candles on a cake. It’s a sad scene to be sure.
No one cares that Ashley has resurfaced, not even the supposed love of his life, Linda (Ashley Wilkinson), who’s now shacked up with a new man. While specifics are mostly withheld, it’s clear that Ashley has alienated everyone in his life. Maybe that’s why he jumps at the chance to befriend Jeremy (George Sample III), a fellow roamer whose pleasant demeanor hides a deep sense of anxiety.
Hunter Gatherer, which opens Friday, Jan. 13 at Digital Gym Cinema, charts these two characters as they go from one “fresh start” to the next. Both men find solace and camaraderie during their daily scavenger hunts around the community, even trying to turn a profit by circumventing local dumping policies regarding old refrigerators.
In the moment, Ashley and Jeremy inspire a momentary hope in each other. But that façade eventually wears thin, revealing frayed tatters of broken men who are hanging on by a thread. Royo and Sample III’s great performances both personify this complexity, forming a beguiling odd couple you won’t soon forget.