Those People

Even one-percenters have their problems—just read F. Scott Fitzgerald. Writer-director Joey Kuhn's Those People recalls both Fitzgerald and filmmaker Whit Stillman (Metropolitan), although the world of privilege and glitter that Kuhn conjures isn't nearly as fun or compelling. The story centers on the romantic ambivalence of Charlie (Jonathan Gordon), a late-20s graduate student and painter preparing for a gallery exhibition. Long in love with his best friend Sebastian (Jason Ralph), who is the dissolute son of a Bernie Madoff-like felon who stole billions from investors, Charlie is also drawn to a classical pianist (Haaz Sleiman). The latter offers Charlie a brighter future, without the hatred, guilt, and paparazzi plaguing Sebastian at every turn over his father's sins. Still, loyalty and the ghost of unfulfilled potential surrounds Sebastian. Those People charts Charlie's journey of self-discovery as he explores the waters of each relationship. Kuhn's feel for upper-crust society, wealth, and leisure lacks Stillman's texture, but the characters are believably self-involved, if also vulnerable and sympathetic. A strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)