SXSW Film Review: ‘6 Balloons’

By turns intensely naturalistic and brutally stylized, “6 Balloons” mercilessly turns screws and escalates dread while spinning a worst-case scenario about the fraying family ties between a heroin addict, who’s chronically incapable of curbing his self-destructive appetite, and his sister, who’s buckling under the weight of the latest in a long series of his impossible demands.Writer-director Marja-Lewis Ryan drew upon the real-life experiences of producer Samantha Housman while developing her edgy scenario, and audaciously cast in the lead roles two actors best known for their work in comedy — Abbi Jacobson (of “Broad City”) and Dave Franco.

The movie leaves you with a deep respect for the willingness evidenced by Ryan and her collaborators to take several gambles that pay off dramatically and emotionally.

But be forewarned: If your own experiences mirror in any way what unfolds in “6 Balloons,” it also will leave you more than a little bruised.

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