MARGARITA HAPPY HOUR
LA Times “(Writer-director Chaiken) has as sure an instinct for the succinct image and brisk pacing as she does for dialogue. Hutchins is as much a discovery as Chaiken, and both command attention in a natural, unpretentious manner... Effective in all its aspects... An auspicious feature debut for Chaiken.” (Kevin Thomas)
New York Times “Ilya Chaiken’s MARGARITA HAPPY HOUR... is an independent feature with sure sociological instincts... Her talent lies in an evocative, accurate observation of a distinctive milieu and in the lively, convincing dialogue she creates for her characters.” (Dave Kehr)
New York Post “Cheers to a truly authentic indie... writer-director Ilya Chaiken’s assured feature debut... A hit at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, Chaiken’s film is, at once, a joyful celebration of female friendship and an unusually honest look at newly responsible young women wistfully saying goodbye to the dreams of their youth.” (Megan Turner)
Newsday “Smart, funny, and well-acted... entirely engaging and true. Her Altmanesque coordination of the various strands of dialogue generated during happy hour is brilliant; ... executed effortlessly... refreshingly honest and entertaining.” (John Anderson)
Philadelphia Inquirer “The writers of Sex and the City would do well to catch Margarita Happy Hour, Chaiken's stunning, beautifully observed character study...” (Carrie Rickey)
TV Guide “(3.5 stars)...Sharply observed... almost painfully on target. ...a small, poignant gem.” (Maitland McDonagh)
Village Voice “Rich with gratifyingly non-toxic local color... Ilya Chaiken’s wry feature debut... Chaiken ably balances real-time rhythms with propulsive incident... She catches subtler interior strains, too.” (Jessica Winter)
NY Press “MARGARITA HAPPY HOUR... deserves to be seen. It’s a smart, heartfelt, well-photographed and excitingly designed film.”(Matthew Zoller Seitz)
Variety “...writer-director Ilya Chaiken’s debut feature is a surprisingly in-depth, wistful look at outgrowing a youth-only subculture... MARGARITA HAPPY HOUR could parlay fest gigs and favorable word-of-mouth into deserved sleeper status.” (Dennis Harvey)
Hollywood Reporter “...an entertainingly realistic, promising debut from writer-director Ilya Chaiken...” Indiewire “...Chaiken’s MARGARITA HAPPY HOUR is probably the best film to come out of New York’s East Village filmmaking community...” (Anthony Kaufman)
Mr. Showbiz “First-time feature director Ilya Chaiken has created a compelling, unique story... as yet our favorite dramatic film of the (Sundance) festival.” (Andrew Strickman)
LA Weekly “Chaiken’s feature debut is an elegiac tribute... she has an excellent feel for the grace notes of real life...” (Hazel Dawn Humpert)
New Times LA “fresh and observant... spiked with raw urban humor.” (B.G.)
Philly Weekly “ ‘A’- Terrific... Well paced and surprisingly complex ... Margarita Happy Hour captures perfectly the protracted adolescence of hipster life.” (Katie Haegele)
Washington City Paper "...one tough little movie... Chaiken uses a free-floating structure to nail her chosen milieu... The film's every detail is sharp and unclichéd..." (AB)