'Gimme the Loot'

• SXSW Film

  Daily reviews and interviews

• God Gave Rock & Roll to Her

  BY JOSH ROSENBLATT

• A Silent Pearl Pops With New Sound

  BY MARJORIE BAUMGARTEN

• The Path to Enlightenment

  BY MARJORIE BAUMGARTEN

• 'Eden'

  BY MONICA RIESE

• 'Sun Don't Shine'

  BY MARC SAVLOV

• 'John Dies at the End'

  BY JOE O'CONNELL

• 'Decoding Deepak'

  BY ANNE S. LEWIS

• '$ellebrity'

  BY ANNE S. LEWIS

• 'Code of the West'

  BY JORDAN SMITH

• 'Gimme the Loot'

  BY MONICA RIESE

• 'Starlet'

  BY NORA ANKRUM

• 'In Our Nature'

  BY MELANIE HAUPT

• 'The Imposter'

  BY MELANIE HAUPT

• 'Francine'

  BY MARJORIE BAUMGARTEN

• 'Citadel'

  BY RICHARD WHITTAKER

• 'Blue Like Jazz'

  BY JOE O'CONNELL

• 'Jeff'

  BY ANNE S. LEWIS

• 'Lovely Molly'

  BY RICHARD WHITTAKER

• 'Booster'

  BY ASHLEY MORENO

Gimme the Loot

If The Wire and The Odyssey taught us only one thing, it's that sometimes the journey is more meaningful than the destination. So, yes, young graffiti artists Sofia (Washington), a softer, perhaps not-too-distant cousin of The Wire's Snoop, and Malcolm (Hickson), her hapless partner, are looking to tag one of New York City's biggest icons. But it's the gauntlet of NoHo flats, rival gangs, stolen goods, and Sirens they run across – sometimes literally – en route to that target that keeps us hooked. There's a lot to be seen in the boroughs along the way, and so much more we'd typically overlook, but first-time feature director Adam Leon's shots are precise and full of detail; it almost doesn't even matter what's being said. What's important is the art, and Leon and his leads have a palpable passion for it, but they also aren't afraid to stop and smell the carnations along the way.

Thursday, March 15, 7:30pm, Stateside