slice-of-life drama

In the neorealist tradition, “A Chiara” is a slice-of-life drama built around an idea and animated by a profound moral quandary.

In writer-director Oren Gerner’s slice-of-life drama “Africa,” memories of a nature lover’s vacation in Namibia anchor an Israeli retiree to a sense of fulfillment, now absent from his everyday life as industrious husband and loving grandfather.

With “Cherry” they do the opposite, applying the bombast of a Marvel action sequence to a slice-of-life drama.

Based on Jessica Bruder’s book — and adapted to the screen by Chloé Zhao — this moving and visually striking slice-of-life drama is a non-sensationalistic look at the hardships of living paycheck to paycheck, mitigated only slightly by a sense of community and the freedom to roam.

“Ink” is your fairly standard slice-of-life drama, but one that’s been tricked out to feel more contemporary than it really is.