WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
The architecture of delusion. The human mind is a powerful element found within the construct of what it is to exist, to have conscious thought, to reason, to deliberate, to ascertain, to make choices that guide our attitudes and actions. While hearing aplenty about how we can potentially begin to lose some of this cognitive magic as we age, every step taken to preserve and hold onto our sanity and mental faculties remains a strong force within. Yet, what occurs when factors enter our life that cause us to break from reality and careen into an escalating black hole of uncontrolled obsession? Adrian (Christian Tabb) is running for his life. Hunted by a trio of evil known only as “The Dark Triad” who are lead by the nefarious and outright creepy Halloran (Samuel Caswell), Adrian seeks out every chance to gain an advantage against them. But, what exactly IS real fades further and further away, threatening to cause Adrian to find himself in a self-created nightmare–forever.
Next, my Mind:
The brainchild of director/executive producer/editor Chris K. Daniels and producer/act0r Caswell, this 8-minute short film deftly and with great impact plumbs the depths of mental health issues through a quite potent illustration of one man’s fall into utter madness, constant fear, absolute suspicion, and total loss of his grip on reality. It really is unnerving with the mix of straightforward dramatic execution combined with dark humor, shadowy visuals, “talk at the screen/audience” moments from the lead character, and an overall ominous (albeit entertaining) atmosphere that speaks all too well to the actuality of its underlying mental health themes and message to an extent that this critic honestly hopes will aid in raising awareness about it all and the importance of the need to treat those afflicted with any of the numerous incarnations it can take.
The pacing here, as is needed with any narrative film running under a deeply but intentionally truncated runtime, moves fluidly and with full-on engagement for the viewer as we follow this descent into severe uncertainty and distrust, watching as everything unfolds in a hallucinatory illusion that feels so overtly, tangibly palpable to the lead character as he desperately attempts to navigate his visions and formulate a plan to confront his tormentors once and for all. It paints a sobering and frightening portrait of this condition when you really stop and ponder what it would be like to have so much darkness, panic, ramblings, and shattered mindset to deal with, much less when unable to realize it’s all false and that its deemed within your own mind that there is no way out other than to simply keep delving further and further into the chaotic fiction generating inside your head.
Visually the film perfectly transports the viewer into this cerebral disruption, focusing on making the murky realms of the lead character’s mind a visceral truth we experience and the shots that bring about the entrance of his mortal enemies, “The Dark Triad”, and the individuals who make it up lend truly menacing imagery to the proceedings thanks to the camera’s embracing of them and their Perhaps, even if brief, this is why the moments of levity found here are most welcome, as the film by design remains primarily within the twisted world its lead inhabits. The film’s eclectic music score from Thomas Neilsen likewise aids in fostering the consistently pervasive air of unease the narrative engenders. Basically, we’re fully immersed into the full scope of mania and frenzied hysteria. Again, it makes for entertaining cinema, but also that wake-up call to understanding.
Tabb is all calm and collected then completely harried and erratic, even spooky at times, in his well-grounded, believable portrayal of Adrian, a man who’s assuredly let go of anything remotely real and now grasps for answers in the arena of an obstructed mind. Convinced and harboring no doubt that a diabolical trio is relentlessly dogging his every move, Adrian hurtles through the hallways of a non-descript (at first) building hoping to evade them while also trying to piece together the clues he tries to get from “agents” he encounters. Yet, the deeper he digs in, the more disconcerted he becomes, soon making it clear that he’s not only a danger to himself, but possibly to others as well, with no one to stop him. It’s an impactful and compelling performance, but again, done in a beautifully realistic and not overacted way, which is a credit to Tabb.
Caswell oozes sinister intent and intimidation as Halloran, the outright eerie head of the deadly “Dark Triad” that is after the hapless Adrian. With a physical appearance and a demeanor that, this critic felt, channeled a bit of Stephen Dorff in “Blade”, Halloran poses a seemingly unstoppable force in tandem with his compatriots as he taunts and plagues Adrian’s existence. What makes it so deliciously effective here is that we as the viewer realize Halloran is only the figment of a tortured mind, but his presence is so distinct and striking that you begin to wonder. It’s a fantastic role and one Caswell certainly chews scenery with decisive conviction. Patience Gbedema and Jenny Whipple round out the “Dark Triad” as Halloran’s “Women In White” who add the final bit of scary resonance to the trio.
Supporting appearances are made by Chuck Schwager as the energetically hilarious yet strangely disquieting Old Man Roy, a nutty oddball of a person who becomes one of Adrian’s “agents” of wisdom while in the midst of his flight from The Dark Triad, Aruna Evan as Taylor, a woman whom finds herself on the possible wrong end of one man’s craziness, and, interestingly enough, Caswell again in an additional role I will simply say puts the exclamation point on the true magnitude of Adrian’s struggle. In total, “Squeeze Toy”, incidentally named for Adrian’s quirky “companion” in the film, presents a story both totally captivating and equally relevant in its underlying purpose that again I hope will cause us to consider the state of mental health, those suffering from it, and spur further actions to address it in ways that creatively, efficiently, and definitively help cure it.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
