In the thick heat of central Florida, Rosie (Nisalda Gonzalez), a musician fresh out of high school, can’t shake her boredom. Before long, she meets Jules (Matthew Leone), a hustler from New York. She falls hard for his streetwise charms and his easy confidence. On the other side of town, Brandon (Tyler Riggs) returns home after a decade in prison, but his transition to life on the outside is dogged by the scars of his past. The summer drags on, pushing these three characters together down a dangerous path.
Expressive and tender, God’s Waiting Room is a meditation on young love, betrayal, and fate—the kind that pulls you toward your calling, and the kind you can’t escape. Riggs, with his debut feature, demonstrates a gift for fiercely compassionate filmmaking, creating the space for vivid performances filled with spontaneity and longing. Sun-drenched and beaded with sweat, this is a beautiful film about people stuck where they are. —Cara Cusumano
Tyler Riggs moved from Florida to New York to study acting at 21. In 2015 he produced and starred in Boomtown alongside Rachel Brosnahan. God's Waiting Room is his feature directorial debut.