A cash grab spirals out of control in Stray Dolls, the feature debut of co-writer and director Sonejuhi Sinha.
Riz is trying to get off on the right foot in America, having gotten a cleaning job at a motel that provides rooms for its employees. It’s a decent setup for someone trying to get their bearings, or it would be if Riz’s roommate didn’t find it impossible to stay out of trouble. She’s close with the boss’s son, who’s never up to any good, and soon the pair are tempting Riz with the easy money that’s right at her fingertips. Turns out the money is anything but easy, and the trio finds themselves wrapped up in a bigger mess than they could ever imagine.
A crime thriller should be a comfortable genre for Sinha to make her mark, what with the strongly established conventions to use as a framework. And she’s got a very promising background, as she’s had a few acclaimed shorts that played at big festivals, including one that made it to Cannes.
The cast here is also seemingly poised to break out, with stars Geetanjali Thapa, Olivia DeJonge, and Robert Aramayo all with plenty of small parts under their belts. The big get in front of the camera is Cynthia Nixon as the motel manager, but she’ll likely be in a much smaller supporting role.
Really, this is a showcase for a lot of up-and-comers, and lucky for us, it’s one of those movies we’ll actually be able to see since it’s going straight to VOD.
Stray Dolls is directed by Sonejuhi Sinha and stars Geetanjali Thapa, Olivia DeJonge, and Robert Aramayo. It will be released on VOD in the US on April 10th, 2020. Further release dates are not currently known.
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