New York City Serenade

The third film from actor Frank Whaley, New York City Serenade is a well-intentioned effort that does boast a few nice performances and a number of individually compelling sequences – and yet the movie is, on the whole, ultimately doomed by its egregiously uneven structure. The film, which revolves around the crumbling friendship between a straight-laced filmmaker (Freddie Prinze Jr’s Owen) and a free-wheeling alcoholic (Chris Klein’s Ray), initially boasts an amiable vibe that’s due largely to the surprisingly effective work from Klein and Prinze Jr, as the actors effortlessly transform their scummy characters (one cheats on his fiancee while the other pursues underage girls) into likeable, even charismatic figures. Their chemistry with one another is certainly reminiscent of the jocular relationship between Vince Vaughn’s Trent and Jon Favreau’s Mike in Swingers, and it’s to their credit that New York City Serenade remains tolerable even through some of its more interminable sequences (eg that final scene just seems to go on forever). The low-key, downright gritty sense of style employed by Whaley effectively captures a different side of oft-filmed New York City, as the director, who also turns in a very funny cameo appearance, eschews the town’s familiar sights in favor of a seemingly authentic experience. New York City Serenade is, in the end, not quite as ingratiating as one might’ve hoped, though one can’t help but admire the feisty independent spirit with which the film has been imbued.

**1/2 out of ****