Patrick Wang’s particular skill as a filmmaker is his ability to approach well-worn narrative devices from fresh angles.
The series remains compelling in its devotion to exposing its characters’ public hang-ups and private strengths.
Sex slavery, Japanese hit men, and ordinary car thieves converge on the mean streets of Long Island City in Off Jackson Avenue.
Illegal Tender is most interesting as a portrait of a young man understanding which walls he must break down and which ones he must uphold.