Actor Michael Angarano may be only 31 years old, but he’s pretty much a veteran of the movie industry by now and has worked a list of terrific filmmakers. Angarano started as a child actor in the late 90s and played the 11-year-old version of the protagonist in Cameron Crowe‘s semi-autobiographical film “Almost Famous” in 2000 (Before that he was one of the finalists for the role of young Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace“).
In short, he’s got experience and has already worked with Crowe, Steven Soderbergh, and filmmakers like David Gordon Green, Kevin Smith and many more. His strong TV work consists of “The Knick,” “This Is Us,” and “I’m Dying Up Here.” Between all these gigs, he’s written and directed and stars in his feature debut “Avenues,” a quirky-looking indie about 24 hours in the life of two friends and the girls they meet in an off-chance encounter.
The movie has a terrific indie cast too including the underrated, always-great-at-playing-awkward Nicholas Braun, Adelaide Clemens, Ari Graynor, Maya Kazan, Greg Vrotsos and Juno Temple. In fact, it kind of feels reminiscent of “Ceremony,” the deeply underrated 2010 directorial debut of Max Winkler, where Angarano played opposite the love interest of Uma Thurman. At least, in that kind of vibrant, confident indie tone.
“I wrote the first draft of the script in five days when I was 21 years old, and then spent the majority of my twenties developing it,” Angarano told People recently. “We would eventually shoot the film in 15 days over Christmas break in Manhattan, in the middle of a polar vortex.” Here’s the official synopsis:
“Avenues” stars Michael Angarano, Nicholas Braun, Adelaide Clemens, Ari Graynor, Maya Kazan, Greg Vrotsos and Juno Temple. On his birthday following the suicide of his brother, Max (Angarano) and his friend Peter (Braun) wander the wintry streets of Manhattan contemplating life, livelihood, and what it means to be an adult. They meet Hailey (Clemens) and Brooke (Graynor) at their favorite Indian restaurant, and the two women agree to join the duo to celebrate Max’s birthday over a long night that stretches across the city.
“Avenues” opens in select theaters March 12 via Gravitas Ventures and looks really, really charming. Check out the trailer below.
