Without a doubt, It's Always Been You! is an ode to Brooklyn. Andrew McCardle wrote and directed this feature film, in which he shows us all the facets of the New York City borough, with its Italian American residents, the Pokémon-chasing millennials, Prospect Park, the record shops, etc...

It’s nice to see time blending together so harmoniously, the past and the future collapsing in a present made of disconnection, people talking to each other but not listening, and way too many cellular phones.

The only break from reality is the enigmatic appearance of the spirit of Lola Montez – which seems to glue together all the time elements of the film – as well as fast and well-edited montages of flickering lights accompanied by mystical music.

One can’t miss the heavy reference to Spike Lee, with the retro Brooklyn imagery and an ensemble cast, that walks in and out of frame as the camera pans through the streets of Kings County.

And as the opening and the closing scenes reveal a restaurant full of people absorbed in their phones, one is left to wonder: are digital devices the poison of our society?