The spot flourishes in a number of ways: The theme song is a pun-filled hit. The concept of a two-decade bike ride down memory lane drips with NYC nostalgia. And the animation ties it all together. Specifically, the animation thrives in a couple major ways: through breathtaking character design and through a beautiful expression of “being in on the joke." To celebrate a city like New York requires both an accurate representation of New Yorkers, as well as a knowing wink to New Yorkers that suggests a shared sense of community; a subtle pronouncement that "we are, and always have been, in this together." 

Hundreds of unique characters were created to capture the chaotic cohesion of a typical day in New York.

Every scene is chock-full of details that are quintessentially "New York." The scenes last mere seconds. And yet, each could stand alone as an individual ode to the city. Drunken Santas are passed out on the sidewalk during the loved and loathed SantaCon Festival. Nathan's Hot Dogs and Joe's Pizza duke it out over who's more "famous." Youtube sensation "Pizza Rat" gets a call-out, as does the tiger and the crocodile that were found in a Harlem apartment in 2003. And who's there at the heart of it, cycling headstrong through the headwinds of a snow-swirled NYC winter? Ye olde faithful Seamless deliverer. 

In sum, this film is very much a sum of its parts. There's so much going on in every scene—so many hidden messages and intricate characters—and yet the story remains straightforward and clear. Watching it once is enough to understand and appreciate it. But watching it over and over and over again? Well, that's the real joy.