From “LATE FAME Trailer | TIFF” by TIFF
Late Fame: a poet's unlikely comeback in New York
A poet is rediscovered, and fame arrives late.
Key points
- Ed Saxberger is treated as a famous poet even though his recognition is long past, and he says he stopped writing years ago and worked at the post office. 0:06
- The admirers call his poems a masterpiece that still feels new, but the trailer presents this as their enthusiasm, not as an established verdict. 0:15
- A family friend who is an agent proposes a meeting as Ed's new moment, which Ed sees as a possible next chance at fame after his earlier one ended. 1:09
- Ed is framed as a rediscovery rather than a discovery, with a book of poems he wrote as a child part of the story. 1:26
- The film's tone mixes comedy and ambivalence: the group mocks rivals as phone addicts and jokes about dandyish pretension, while Ed admits he does not know what he is doing there. 0:23
The trailer, shot by shot
- 1. You wrote a masterpiece — The admirer's praise sets up Ed's past as a celebrated poet. 0:06
- 2. Critics praise the performance — A press quote frames the film around the naturalness of the lead performance. 0:55
- 3. Career-best performance — A second critic quote presents the lead as giving a brilliant turn. 1:21
- 4. You must have been beautiful — Ed reflects on aging and loss of a youthful identity. 1:47
- 5. Reintroduced at a reading — The poet is formally reintroduced to a live audience, the trailer's turn. 1:56
Small things on screen
- Street walking group — A group of men in dark coats and hats walks along a New York sidewalk past a 'For Lease' storefront.
- Old photographs — A weathered hand holds a stack of printed photographs of smiling people in a dim room.
- Stage performer in white scarf — A man in a dark jacket and white fringed scarf stands before a painted backdrop with strings of lights.