On A String movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: On a String

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 18 minutes (78 minutes)

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A-

Featured Product About This Movie:

Viola Music featuring Philip Dukes, Daniel Hope, and Robert Plane

You can find this musical CD with viola on Amazon at https://amzn.to/482QN2j

IN A NUTSHELL: Written, directed, and starring Juilliard-trained violist and stand-up comedian Isabel Hagen, On a String is a charmingly dry, funny, and deeply relatable look into the awkward hustle of a freelance musician in New York City. The film follows Isabel, a talented violist playing odd gigs, from doomed park proposals to awkward house parties, while wrestling with toxic exes, career stagnation, and an upcoming audition for the New York Philharmonic.

The film premiered at Tribeca where it won best screenplay and currently has a 91% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes with 30+ reviews. On a String is the first film being released by the newly launched comedy-focused distributor Joke Zero.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Rated R for crude sexual content and minor nudity. We see a topless young woman going at it with a guy in bed.
Best suited for older teens and adults who appreciate dry indie humor and coming-of-age artistic struggles.
Profanity, including several F-bombs.

THEMES:

The absurd hustle and uncertainty of freelancing in the arts.
Friendship vs. professional competition.
Navigating boundaries and relationships by searching for true connection
Artistic identity.

THINGS I LIKED:

Isabel Hagen has great deadpan comic delivery and offers wonderful musical prowess. Much of the story is based on her own life. Her real-life brother also plays her brother in the film. About the movie, she stated, “Authenticity was a priority for me in telling this story. The film features live-captured musical performances, and the musician characters are almost entirely played by trained musicians.”
I’m impressed with the award-winning cast Isabel Hagen was able to put together. For example, you’ll recognize three-time Emmy nominee Dylan Baker from The Good Wife, Selma, Anchorman 2, and other work. He does a terrific job as a caring, supportive dad. You’ll also recognize Frederick Weller from BlacKKKlansman and other films.
You might also recognize Jamie Lee in this. She’s a two-time Emmy winner and three-time nominee for the hilarious, award-winning Ted Lasso (Executive producer/writer)!
The sharp, witty writing captures the cringey realities of odd jobs and freelance life. If you love humor that features awkward moments, you’ll love this.
Great supporting performances include Ling Ling Huang and Eric Bogosian, who is a Pulitzer Prize nominee for Talk Radio!
The concise 78-minute runtime doesn’t overstay its welcome.
We get to hear some lovely music.
When the protagonist confesses to her dad about a terrible mistake she made, he comforts her, revealing his own mistakes rather than yelling at her or punishing her. He uses their conversation as a kind teaching moment. What supportive, sweet parenting.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The narrative arc can feel a bit loose and meandering at times.
I’ll never understand a woman who gets with a married man. Never.
Audiences expecting a traditional high-stakes dramatic climax might find the subtle ending too understated.

FUNNY LINES:

More than laugh-out-loud funny lines, the movie is filled with awkwardly funny moments.

INTERESTING LINES:

“What do you do for fun?” – A couple of different people ask this question and talk about it because they realize they don’t make time for fun in their lives. I recently crossed several things off my Bucket List on a trip to Germany and Poland. My husband and I love to travel because we love culture, language, architecture, history, music, learning new things, eating new foods, and meeting new people! Whenever we travel, we get to experience those “Wow!” moments in our life. We all need more “Wow!” moments in our lives while doing what we love!