Alongside his filmmaking partner Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck has enjoyed critical acclaim for films like Half Nelson and Sugar. In 2019, the pair were introduced to the masses via their co-direction of the blockbuster Captain Marvel for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve also done impressive work in television, picking up an Emmy nomination for the 2020 FX limited series Mrs. America. Freaky Tales, Fleck and Boden’s latest project, is set in 1987 Oakland and celebrates the city's culture with a star-studded cast and authentic Bay Area storytelling.
More: Filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck talk Freaky Tales (The Treatment, 2025)
For his Treat, Fleck speaks on the profound impact of discovering Wayne Wang’s 1995 film Smoke (written by novelist Paul Auster). Set in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the movie tells a layered tale centered around a cigar shop and its quirky regulars. The film's deep exploration of human connection and its vivid portrayal of Brooklyn left a mark on Fleck. It also sparked his love for Auster’s novels, particularly those that capture the spirit of New York City. Years later, Fleck ended up living in Park Slope, the very neighborhood that had once caught his imagination.
More: Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (The Treatment, 2006)
This segment has been edited and condensed for clarity.
I'm Ryan Fleck, and this is The Treat. For me, this is a movie called Smoke. This is a 1995 movie by Wayne Wang and Paul Auster, the novelist.
I saw this, I think, when I was 18 years old at the San Francisco Film Festival. And I was just completely moved and transported by this movie, which is a portrait of a neighborhood — Park Slope in New York City — A community that is so lovingly told [with] chapters [representing] different perspectives. Similar to Freaky Tales, I guess, in some ways.
This isn't one of my all-time favorite movies, although you know, maybe it could be. I think just in terms of how it's influenced my life in a very unique way. I saw the movie, which led me to Paul Auster's novels. I remember, The New York Trilogy was the first one I read. And again, it was the same kind of vibe from the movie.
I'd been to New York [maybe] once at that point in my life and I became sort of obsessed with the way that Paul Auster described New York in his books. I'm not going to say it's the reason I moved to New York, but I was very happy to move to New York and be living in Paul Auster's New York City. Specifically, eventually moving to Park Slope, which is the neighborhood depicted in the movie.
Anna and I made our first film, and we managed to befriend Paul. We went to his house and we had a lovely brunch with him, he and his family: his wife Siri, who's also a novelist, and his daughter, Sophie, who's a musician. I've managed to maintain a pretty good friendship with that family, a decent friendship on and off over the years. I feel like it all started with this movie Smoke. It's funny how movies influence you in ways that are lasting.