Star turn for an archivist …

… ‘Golden Exits’ wants to bring archivists out of the stacks | The Outline. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Golden Exits deserves some credit for being the most archive-centric film in a long time, possibly ever. There have been bookstore salesgirls, art gallery assistants, publishing assistants, and, of course, librarians, but archive assistants are much rarer. Here, the adventure comes from the aura of mystery around Naomi. She describes herself as “transient,” and her motives with men and interest in the archive field are opaque. Naomi swoops into Nick’s life, and suddenly makes archive work look like a perfect piece of precious Brooklyn hipsterdom. The specific material is far less important than the atmosphere of the archive itself, as the archive is a convenient space for establishing sexual tension. It’s small and intimate, and right near Nick’s chicly bohemian apartment. “You like routine,” Naomi observes of Nick at one point. It’s obvious she’s there to shake it up.