Qasim Basir substantiates his status as “one to watch” with the new drama To Live and Die and Live, which he wrote, directed, produced, and shot. This film’s a vibe. A dark, cerebral vibe. It feels urgent, vital, and bound to instigate anxious rumination about the futility of it all. One could make a valid argument about the film’s lack of a “plot”, but this intricate character study draws the audience into its claustrophobic, uncanny grip from frame one and refuses to let go until the credits roll.
Hollywood actor Muhammad (Amin Joseph) returns to Detroit for his father’s funeral. He’s deeply introverted, intense, and mournful of a career that could have been. He does a lot of coke, hooks up with Asia (Skye P. Marshall), but the weight of the funeral proves too much for him to, well, perform.
We follow Muhammad as he reconnects with family, settles his accounts, succumbs to addiction, reconnects with Asia, who may be hiding a secret, on a deeper level, and falls asleep behind the wheel. The film’s tragic finale involves a stack of much-needed cash, and the protagonist ultimately faces his demons.
Amin Joseph and Skye P. Marshall as Muhammad and Asia navigate the vibrant nightlife of Detroit in To Live and Die and Live
“…Muhammad reconnects with family, settles his accounts, succumbs to addiction…”
If that sounds grim as f**k, it’s because it is. Basir doesn’t shy away from glaring into the gaping maw of despair. But he skillfully counterbalances it with an energy that propels the film forward; how refreshing: this filmmaker has something to say.
He also wisely peppers the film with moments of humor, such as the reactions to Muhammad’s latest film over family lunch. I’m paraphrasing here, but the whole, “It’s like a tire. A flat tire. A car that needs its tire fixed. And transmission. And breaks. And a paintjob,” dialogue is quite literally “music to the ears.”
Amin Joseph is nothing short of tremendous: flawed, charming, intense, desperate. When asked what advice he has for aspiring filmmakers wanting to move to LA, he simply says, “Don’t.” He then goes into an exemplary, extended monologue about the perils of stardom. His scenes with Skye P. Marshall are tender and complex. The entire cast, in fact, is splendid.
Further complemented by Maxime Lacoste-Lebuis’s gorgeous score, To Live and Die and Live is an unflinching look at grief, love, addiction, the legacy left behind by parents, the decaying of dreams, and, oh, Gosh, the futility of existence. it may get caught up in its own theatrics, especially towards the end, but it’s a powerful piece of cinema, showcasing a multitude of emerging talents.
"…an unflinching look at grief, love, and addiction"
