James Gray’s ‘Paper Tiger’ to Open 64th New York Film Festival

The final fall fest announcement of the day has James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” finally set to open the 64th New York Film Festival with its North American premiere on Friday, September 25. That means no Telluride or TIFF for the film, which had its world premiere at Cannes.

This is Gray’s fourth film to be selected for NYFF, following “The Immigrant” (2013), “The Lost City of Z” (2016), and “Armageddon Time” (2022). All three of those films also skipped Telluride and TIFF. He’s been a mainstay of the festival, and this morning’s announcement shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

“Paper Tiger” is a throwback crime melodrama that feels distinctly personal and unmistakably James Gray.

Set in 1980s Queens, the film follows engineer Irwin (Miles Teller), who is persuaded by his charismatic former-cop brother, Gary (Adam Driver), to join a lucrative toxic-waste cleanup venture involving Russian mobsters. What begins as a seemingly legitimate business opportunity gradually descends into intimidation, violence, and moral compromise, drawing heavily on events Gray says were inspired by his own childhood.

I found Gray’s craftsmanship, particularly the film’s mounting tension, resulted in several standout suspense sequences, including a harrowing episode in which Irwin’s young sons witness the terrifying reality of the criminal enterprise. The first half creates an oppressive, nerve-racking atmosphere, while the final act delivers some of the director’s most gripping filmmaking. Although the middle section is overly melodramatic and occasionally in need of tighter scripting, Gray’s command of tone and emotional intensity carries the film through.

Gray has a long-standing reputation as a filmmaker whose emotionally earnest, classically constructed dramas resonate more with critics than with broader audiences. Ultimately, “Paper Tiger” is an old-fashioned, morally complex crime saga in the tradition of Gray’s earlier work, evoking “We Own the Night” while incorporating the autobiographical intimacy of “Armageddon Time.”

Neon will release the film later this year. NYFF64 takes place from September 25 through October 12.