#TIFF23: “THE FEELING THAT THE TIME FOR DOING SOMETHING HAS PASSED” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

Writer-Director Joanna Arnow’s feature debut follows thirty-something Ann (played by Arnow) in a series of vignettes. Over the course of these vignettes, we watch her idle in her meaningless corporate job, dabbling in different BDSM relationships while stagnating in a long-term submissive sexual relationship with an older man, Allen (Scott Cohen).

Arnow has crafted an acerbic Dark Comedy about being a millennial. Right from the start it’s clear that no one listens — or even thinks — of Ann. Not even her decade-long casual BDSM partner Allen can remember what college she attended. And her employer gives her an award for making it a year at the company…but she’s worked there for over three years. Ann responds to these moments with a fed-up ambivalence that comes across as someone who can’t be bothered to fight something that’s happened a million times before.

Arnow gives an alluring performance as Ann. Her often deadpan delivery leaves immense mystery. At times Ann seems to be content with her life at others it feels like she’s internally screaming for something more. This becomes more apparent when she meets Chris (Babak Tafti) who gives her the chance at a more mutually engaged relationship. Arnow plays Ann with an uneasiness about the change in her mundane life. A life that’s full of others making decisions for her.

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed is an audacious first feature that cements Arnow not only a new voice behind the camera but a force in front of it.

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed screens at TIFF ’23:

Saturday, September 9 at 6 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sunday, September 10 at 9:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto