On a String is a modest, stripped-back indie comedy-drama written and directed by Isabel Hagen, a classical violist-turned-stand-up comedian who also stars. It’s a respectable feature debut, particularly for someone juggling the roles of lead, director and writer.

It’s the type of quarter-life crisis movie that brings to mind films like Garden State and Frances Ha — and the latter in more ways than one, considering how much Hagen reminds me of Greta Gerwig. It’s a slice-of-life picture that drops us into the life of Isabel (yes, a version of herself), a New Yorker navigating life as the next steps loom: what are her dreams, where do her romantic and lustful leanings lie, and what exactly, if anything, is she searching for?

The film’s attempt to balance awkward and observational comedy with a touch of early adulthood angst, and Hagen’s particular point of view here undoubtedly give it a unique personality. The screenplay is a collision of the witty and authentically drawn, and the frustratingly simplistic and coy, leaving us with a modest portrait that feels somewhat pedestrian once the short runtime is over.

The humour is perhaps the film’s best-crafted angle. Hagen demonstrates a knack for some witty dialogue and amusingly awkward back-and-forths, even if it’s all slightly too familiar. There’s a quirkiness that occasionally oversteps into the self-aware, but for the most part Hagen shows a confident hand in crafting quietly humorous situations with just enough undercurrent emotion to keep us engaged.

The film’s structure and arc, on the other hand, fail to drive investment on the level they should, at least for me. While the laid-back, observational approach to both the comedy and drama is adequate for a visitation with an aimless individual, the writing and, more importantly, the overall direction prevent it from fully connecting on either a filmmaking or emotional level. The screenplay, while, again, mostly assured and occasionally sharp, simply doesn’t have enough of the depth and dramatic momentum needed to help draw us emotionally into this period of Isabel’s life. And too many scenes are held back by a meek filmmaking approach, with camerawork, blocking and overall production design left in need of vigour.

The film also feels cut short, with a 78-minute runtime and final moments that leave its themes and Isabel dangling, offering only the suggestion of a thematic culmination.

There’s enough wit, personality and offbeat charm in On a String to make Hagen a filmmaker and performer worth watching, even if her debut ultimately feels more like a promising first step than a fully realised feature. The humour lands more consistently than the drama, while the restrained filmmaking and underdeveloped emotional arc leave this particular quarter-life crisis short of the impact it’s reaching for.