Lawrence Michael Levine

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Lawrence Michael Levine
Born1976 (age 45–46)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActor, director, editor, producer, writer
Years active2004-present
Spouse(s)Sophia Takal

Lawrence Michael Levine (born 1976)[1] is an American actor, writer, and filmmaker, best known for writing and directing the films Gabi on the Roof in July, Wild Canaries, and Black Bear.

Career[]

In 2005, Levine wrote, produced, and directed his debut film Territory, based on his stage play of the same name. Critic Aaron West of eFilmCritic wrote of the film, "The off-Broadway version is undoubtedly the more appropriate medium for this story, and if given a choice, I would rather see it there. Still, I cannot help but applaud Levine for trying something a little different. His characters are extraordinarily ordinary, and his tightly wound screenplay reveals their (and our) brightest and darkest sides at various times."[2]

In 2009, he wrote and directed the short films The Empress and Fat Friend.

His next film, 2010's romantic drama/comedy Gabi on the Roof in July, received a positive critical response[3] and was praised by Eric Kohn of Indiewire, who called the film a "lightly amusing comedy".[4]

In 2014, Levine wrote, directed, and starred in the mystery/comedy Wild Canaries. The film received a positive response from critics and was praised by The Village Voice as being "...the closest a contemporary film has come to replicating the unbridled jubilance of a classic screwball comedy".[5] His most recent film, Black Bear, stars Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon and Aubrey Plaza.[6]

In addition to his own films, Levine has also acted in such pictures as Richard's Wedding, Takal's Green, All the Light in the Sky, and V/H/S/2, and appears in the second season of the anthology series Easy.

Personal life[]

Levine is married to fellow filmmaker Sophia Takal, with whom he has collaborated on several films.[5] In 2013, Jordan Zakarin of The Hollywood Reporter named Levine and Takal two of New York's next big independent filmmakers.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ Alloway, Meredith (March 3, 2015). "Sophia Takal and Lawrence Michael Levine On Taming Their Wild Canaries". Paste. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  2. ^ West, Aaron (August 5, 2005). "Territory: Almost the equivalent of bringing a camera to a play". eFilmCritic!. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  3. ^ "Gabi on the Roof in July". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  4. ^ Kohn, Eric. "Babbling in Brooklyn: Life Lessons Abound in "Gabi on the Roof in July"". Indiewire. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Marsh, Calum (June 18, 2014). "BAM's Blowout: Relish the Film Fest That Screens Only the Best". The Village Voice. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  6. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (July 29, 2019). "Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott & Sarah Gadon To Star In 'Black Bear' Thriller From Lawrence Michael Levine". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  7. ^ Zakarin, Jordan (March 26, 2013). "Fast, Cheap and Indie: The Rise of New York's Next Big Filmmakers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2020.

External links[]

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