Rhythm Thief

Rhythm Thief is a 1994 independent drama film directed by Matthew Harrison. The standard 16mm black-and-white feature was made for US$11,000 and was awarded a Special Jury Recognition for Directing at the Sundance Film Festival. It was given a limited theatrical release in the US and Europe on November 15, 1995. In 2008, Rhythm Thief was released on DVD by Kino Lorber. Plot Simon is a downwardly mobile urban white male who hustles a living selling audio cassette bootleg music on the streets of New York City's Lower East Side. Simon lives in a tenement walk-up where everyone calls him 'Whitey'. Cyd, who has a real job, visits Simon for sex on weekday mornings; while Simon's bootleg-wannabe sidekick Fuller has innocent romantic fantasies about Cyd. Cynthia Sley of all-girl militant punk band 1-900 BOXX has learned Simon is selling her music and pays a violent visit with her thugs. They beat up Simon and smash his gear. Further complicating Simon's life, Marty, a girl from his past, shows up with her suitcase to announce that Simon's mother has died. Simon borrows money from his middle-aged mentor, Mr. Bunch, so he can record a 1-900 BOXX gig. The band comes after Simon, beats Fuller, and hounds Simon out of the city with Marty in tow. Simon and Marty hightail it to Queens on the subway, ending in Far Rockaway where Marty confesses her love to Simon and they spend a romantic night under the boardwalk at 105th Street.