Nothing says kicking off a film festival in the heart of New York City with a screening of an Australian film. The outback meets the Big Apple is basically the plot of Crocodile Dundee. But if we learned anything from last week’s new release Bring Her Back, or this weeks Dangerous Animals, it is that Australia has a lot of untapped talent.

And what a title to bring to America. Birthright. Right into the political land mine we go while the Supreme Court determines whether or not to determine the constitutionality of a long-standing constitutional amendment. I wonder how many people see this title, assume it is some scathing documentary, and judge their decision to watch or not solely based on that. it could really work in this films favor, as it lacks a notable star for American audiences, but it could also turn people away who think this is a savage takedown. It’s neither.

In fact, this explores another trend in America, which apparently is becoming a global crisis. Adulting while living at home with your parents. Here, the argument is that the American dream has been shifted so far down the field that it has become unattainable for the majority of young adults seeking to find entry level jobs, pay off student loan debt, and also pay absurd rental or mortgage rates that keep simple home ownership at arms length. this concept does generally ignore the fact that a portion of parents would love to keep their kids around forever, but that certainly is not the dad in Birthright. The dad in Birthright is very much on the “get out of my house” lane.

Still, what Birthright covers in this semi-comedic dark fashion is the depressing, soul crushing moment reached where our young man has no choice but to beg for the right to temporarily stay in his old room with his pregnant partner until a new job opportunity arises. Dad doesn’t feel obligated, but that clash is part of the fun.

A lot of films at Tribeca are seeking distribution, and don’t have audio description, which this film did not. It wasn’t the easiest watch, and if it never got audio description, I would have a hard time recommending this to blind/low vision audiences. Sighted audiences will likely find a burgeoning talent in director Zoe Pepper who blends this dark comedy with those moments of surprise that are woven into this story of a son who starts believing he is owed more than he’s gotten. It is a smart film, with an engaging score, and a cast that (while unknown to me) did solid work.I was missing too much without audio description for a firm grade, but to any sighted audiences, I land pretty solid on the side of “would recommend”.