A wistful yet unromantic look at a lost idea of downtown New York, with the great Willem Dafoe lending his delicate gravitas to the role a retired poet who discovers his work has become a cult hit.

Ed Saxberger is a forgotten New York poet who works in the post office. After an eager and flattering young admirer appears on his doorstep, Saxberger is beckoned into a coterie of twenty-something artists who anoint him as a rediscovered genius. Intoxicated by the attention – and by the alluring presence of Gloria, the group’s “tragic heroine” – Saxberger gradually reckons with the authenticity of his newfound poetic circle.

This thoughtful, witty drama also stars Edmund Donovan and Greta Lee. It is the second feature from Kent Jones (DIANE), working from a sly and hugely entertaining script by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Samy Burch (MAY DECEMBER).