In the film “Late Fame,” director Kent Jones explores the enduring allure of artistic ambition in New York City’s Greenwich Village through the character of Ed Saxberger, portrayed by Willem Dafoe. Set in 1979 and the present day, the story follows Ed, a former poet who once published a book and briefly gained modest recognition but has since retreated into a quiet life working at the post office. Living in a small apartment surrounded by his collection of poetry and recordings, Ed’s days are largely uneventful, spent having tuna sandwiches after work or playing pool at a neighborhood bar with friends unaware of his literary past.

Ed’s quiet existence is interrupted by Wilson Meyers, played by Edmund Donovan, a young man with a freshly earned master’s degree in a self-designed program on style, rhetoric, and voice from New York University. Meyers discovers Ed’s 1979 poetry book “Way Past Go” and, intrigued by the older man’s history, seeks him out to join the Enthusiasm Society, a group of self-styled literary aspirants committed to resisting the effects of late-stage capitalism and the commercialization of culture. The group, frequenting cafes on LaGuardia Place and sporting vintage fashion, invites Ed to participate in a poetry reading intended as a cultural counterstatement. Among the group is Gloria, portrayed by Greta Lee, an actress and singer who embodies the bohemian muse ideal, captivating Ed’s attention.

Jones’s direction captures the atmosphere of Greenwich Village with naturalistic camerawork and authentic locations, including scenes shot with handheld cameras on the streets near iconic spots like the Film Forum. The film carries a reverence for the city’s artistic heritage while critically portraying the sometimes performative nature of contemporary youth culture. The young members of the Enthusiasm Society, though earnest in their anti-commercial stance, are shown as somewhat dependent on their parents’ financial support and eager to display cultivated tastes they may not fully possess. In contrast, Ed appears almost as an anachronism—an authentic figure from a bygone era of artistic sincerity.

“Late Fame” is adapted from Arthur Schnitzler’s 19th-century novella, which has been recontextualized to resonate with modern New York sensibilities. Screenwriter Samy Burch, known for his Oscar-nominated work on “May December,” brings a nuanced script that balances affectionate characterization with a subtle critique of both youthful idealism and the challenges of artistic relevance across generations. The film meditates on themes of creative aspiration, the passage of time, and the transitory nature of cultural movements, highlighting a wistfulness rather than cynicism toward those who pursue art in one form or another.

Through its thoughtful performances and evocative setting, “Late Fame” portrays the complex relationship between art and identity, capturing the sense that each new generation feels drawn to New York’s artistic legacy, even as the cultural landscape shifts around them.