Review: Sacramento

16 August, 2025 William Eguizabal 0 Comments 1 category

Title: Sacramento
MPA Rating: R
Director: Michael Angarano
Starring: Michael Cera, Kirsten Stewart, Michael Angarano
Runtime: 1 hr 29 mins

What It Is: Glenn (Cera) and his partner Rosie (Stewart) are about to become parents—a stressful time for any couple. To make matters worse, Glenn’s best buddy Rickey (Angarano) has shown up under the guise of taking a trip to the titular capital city to dispose of his recently deceased father’s ashes.

The two friends, at very different points in their lives, set out on a life-changing drive to California’s capital and, along the way, discover more about one another.

What We Think: I enjoyed the ride. It’s a buddy-trip movie for the modern hipster. Michael Cera getting his time to shine again is something I’m very much enjoying. This guy’s got so much talent, and I think that during his first run in Hollywood we didn’t give him nearly enough to do. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World—heck, even Paper Heart—all make it clear how much talent he has.

Michael Angarano pulls his weight spectacularly. He’s always been a talent to watch in every project he’s done, and he does a nice job behind the lens here, too. Both Kristen Stewart and Maya Erskine are brilliant in their supporting roles. It was also really cool to see former professional wrestler A.J. Mendez (FKA A.J. Lee)—she’s actually great here.

Our Grade: B+, A modest indie directed by one of its own stars, this film feels like a throwback to the mid-2000s Sundance era, sharing DNA with Garden State. Michael Angarano plays an immature, occasionally infuriating man pushed toward growth by people both familiar and unexpected. Even at their lowest points, the characters carry an undeniable charm.

It’s the kind of intimate, character-driven story that rarely gets made anymore. Angarano remains a quiet but consistent presence in modern indie cinema—see In a Relationship or his debut Avenues. This one’s a gem: maybe you won’t love it, but you’ll almost certainly like it.