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First, the Recap:
Ever find yourself immersed in a world that’s all your own? So much around you doesn’t exist, but rather fades into the background as you seek the solace of only the distractions that keep your individual attention focused and a sense of security intact. For middle-aged man Harry (Tim Casey), life in a large, isolated country house consists of wearing a bathrobe, sitting in his chair, and being encompassed by the past via vintage cartoons on TV. The only other thing breaking the seemingly mundane existence he manages is getting commanded to do things by his enfeebled yet overtly overbearing mother, Mary (Eileen Fennel), mainly to make sure her cat is cared for.
However, during one such monotonous, underwhelming day, a small robin visits the inside of the home, causing a sudden and unanticipated rush of enjoyment and vigor to Harry’s existence. Taking on a reignited passion for something, Harry goes about getting his new friend set up with everything it needs to be a consistent visitor, all the while being more willing to express a silent but intentional disdain for his mother’s constant badgering and belittling comments, also directed towards a certain other resident of the home. But when a drastic turn of events shakes Harry to the core, upsetting his newly discovered harmony, it unleashes the reality that to anything disturbing this state of being–beware.
Next, my Mind:
Writer/director John McGovern, heralding from Ireland, becomes another independent filmmaker from the Emerald Isle to present one fantastically well-done short film effort that equally carries an air of creepiness, dark comedy, and an odd sense of sympathy towards the lead character, who’s, needless to say, far from normal. Utilizing the richness of black & white filming technique, the smoothly flowing narrative carries an almost Hitchcockian demeanor, causing the viewer to never feel totally settled into any sense of assuredness about where things are going, but rather keeping one on an ever-present edge, albeit subtly, until delivering a whopper of a finale. All is neatly packaged into a little over 8+ minutes, providing a testament to the potency of what solid storytelling can do in an abbreviated timeframe.
Lead actor Tim Casey is just perfect as Harry, providing us with a character that you’re completely engaged by from the beginning, despite his oddity and fluctuating personality, and you can only sit back and watch as a wondrously twisted tale unfolds. Casey’s facial contortions and emoting truly infuses Harry with a real indication that despite his “innocence”, there’s another side to him just building inside waiting to explode. For the little screen time we are given to see her, Fennel’s Mary is still that opposite side of the coin, someone we just get all bent out of shape over due to her pointed jabs and harsh attitude towards her own son, forcing him to carry out her biddings no matter his unspoken protests.
With only a brief moment of crude language to be wary of (if sensitive to that), “Harry Stands Up” is one interesting, entertaining, yet disturbing piece of indie film that this reviewer believes will cause some splashes at the film festivals it is currently being screened at and beyond. It illustrates the ongoing creativity found in the indie film arena, and ideally will help more moviegoers to seek out the genre.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
