Timeless

A very promising first feature from writer-director-producer Chris Hart, Timeless, set in Queens, NY, follows Terry (Peter Byrne), an 18-year-old petty hustler who dreams of distancing himself from the temptations of the mean streets and the smothering dependency of his alcoholic father. Enter Lyrica (Melissa Duge), "a tarnished, teenage goddess trapped in the lower rungs of the flesh trade," (that's the marketing blurb), and suddenly Terry finds both his will and a way out, though his fairy tale-like plan of escaping to Canada is half-baked at best. Still, hope is hope, and it looks as if they both might escape until Lyrica, while slipping away from her abusive boyfriend in the middle of the night, incurs the latter's rather nasty wrath, and it isn't long before the two romantic hopefuls realize that while they can run, they can't hide. The talented Hart is nothing if not inventive, with a boldly original style that is truly exciting to watch. Highly recommended. (S. C. Sickles)