Acts of Worship

2001 Drama

One woman's inability to conquer her appetite for drugs proves dangerous not only for herself but for those around her in this streetwise drama. Alix (Ana Reeder) is a woman living in New York who is fighting a losing battle with heroin and cocaine addiction. Her boyfriend Mark (Christopher Kadish) has grown tired of her dependence problems and forces her to move out of his apartment. With nowhere to go, Alix must fend for herself on the streets, and she supports her habit by stealing. Mark eventually takes pity on Alix and allows her to come back, but she soon overdoses on heroin, and a nervous Mark drags her comatose body out of his flat and into a nearby alley. Digna (Michael Hyatt), a photographer who has had her own problems with addiction, finds Alix and takes her in over the objections of her boyfriend, Anthony (Nestor Rodriguez). Digna tries to help Alix clean up, but Alix is unable to stay on the wagon, and when she falls back into the cycle of addiction, Digna soon follows her. Acts of Worship, the first feature from writer and director Rosemary Rodriguez, was screened at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. more..

Director: Rosemary Rodriguez

Starring: Ana Reeder, Michael Hyatt, Christopher Kadish, Nestor Rodriguez

Reviews

  • It's about individuals, not about sensations. If the characters' backgrounds are not examined in detail, the movie still conveys an intimate sense of who they are and their emotional connections.

    Stephen Holden - The New York Times

    29 November 2012

  • Rodriguez makes a promising debut with this unsentimental drama. If she keeps working on her screenwriting skills, she could become a filmmaker to reckon with.

    David Sterritt - Christian Science Monitor

    29 November 2012

  • Occasionally becomes melodramatic.

    V.A. Musetto - New York Post

    29 November 2012

  • The story is predictable, but Reeder's performance is painfully convincing and the East Village locations so uniformly grimy that they all but weep despair.

    Maitland McDonagh - TV Guide

    29 November 2012

  • An earnest drama that's never quite as raw or moving as it means to be.

    Dennis Harvey - Variety

    29 November 2012

Awards

  • Best Debut Performance

    Independent Spirit Awards (2002)

     
  • Rosemary Rodriguez

    Magnolia Independent Film Festival (2002)

  • Rosemary Rodriguez

    Santa Barbara International Film Festival (2001)

  • Rosemary Rodriguez

    St. Louis International Film Festival (2001)