QUEST (Jonathan Olshefski, U.S.). 105 minutes. Rating: NNNN
An epic family drama shot in classic vérité style and full of surprises, Quest documents a decade in the life of Christopher and Christine’a Rainey and their adolescent daughter PJ, a North Philadelphia family who run a recording studio out of their basement.
The trust between first-time filmmaker Jonathan Olshefski and the subjects is apparent in several beautifully observed and remarkably unguarded scenes. A focal point for aspiring rappers and musicians in their neighbourhood, the Raineys instill their daughter with a spirit of vibrancy and creativity that is magnified by Olshefski’s striking camerawork.
Humming in the background is the TV news, reporting on Obama’s re-election, Trump’s racist “birther” movement and the suppression of African-American voters. Quest is one of those great movies that capture the turbulent currents of American life by zooming in on a single household.
