WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Ensnared within a whirlpool of ever-escalating apprehension and desperation. NOT the ideal realm we might wish to find ourselves inhabiting, much less having to then make decisions that are likewise less than prudent or truly beneficial. However, when the situation demands it, can any of us COMPLETELY know what we might be willing to embark upon in order to gain the resolution we’re seeking? Jessi (Alex Cowley) strides through the nighttime streets of Miami on a mission, one that requires his admittedly unprincipled manner to guide his path. In this case, it is to meet with a man named Mr. Lord (Mauricio Rentería) who has his own seedy agenda to offer Jessi, all for a payday that could assist the young man with an issue in urgent need to be rectified. But, it then comes down to deciding through what means can this undertaking be fulfilled, and to whose actual advantage will the outcome serve?
Next, my Mind:
The art of the deal takes on a decidedly unique yet also familiar, perhaps even devilishly inevitable turn throughout the course of this 18-minute indie short film from director Alejandro Renteria, writer Jorge Luis Sanchez Noya, and producer Agustin that firmly utilizes dramatic misdirection and a tangibly simmering but still subtle underlying foundation of building tension mixed with JUST a hint of dark humor to top it off. Given the film’s setting and locale, it almost might harken back to that sense of coolness and quietly unsettling menace paired with acts foolish but necessary that made nighttime in Miami such an apropos tool to see depicted for shady deals and choices as seen on the classic 80’s TV show hit “Miami Vice”. It so often seemed like the bad guys had it figured out, but in the end, there was always a price someone had to pay for the nefarious machinations being put into play.
In this particular exploration of these cornerstone themes, we find a young man who’s in a catch-22 situation having to travel the road of shamelessly unethical behavior in order to try and obtain a sum of money he requires to put and end to another situation he’s facing, all while doing so by attempting to offer a wholly wretched older man whatever he might want in order to to get the job that scores the cash. It’s a very deliberate, conspicuously immediate showcasing of precisely what abject need might cause us to pursue for the sake of resolving our dilemma, but what then makes this more engaging is that soon it becomes apparent that the person who THINKS they’re in control may NOT actually BE in control of what is unfolding. The film addresses this flow of events through cleverly written and well executed on screen visual presentation with an intentionality to it that truly draws you in despite the perceived simplicity of it all we see on the surface.
As the layers of things keep getting peeled back, it only opens the door for a deeper degree of expansion on an ever-growing air of deception and hidden truths that will only culminate in one outcome which, whether you as the viewer see it coming or not, holds a superb magnitude of impact in its exposure of human nature and, as mentioned before, what exactly we have the capability of doing in the name of extreme circumstances. HOW the film reaches this finale is what provides the narrative its punch, a study in what comes down to rooting for the lesser of two evils the characters represented trying to choose which of them IS the one to be rooting FOR. Additionally, the thematic undertones involving the lure of (what SEEMED to be) easy money, remaining calm in the eye of a raging storm of shifting variables hindering our moving forward with a plan, being able to camouflage our intentions, and holding tightly to secrets key to gaining what we want all get a chance to emerge over the course of the film’s runtime.
It’s a fresh enough cat and mouse game showcased, making the narrative as captivating as it is, at least for this critic. Otherwise, this COULD have been another effort that found itself sinking in the mire of “been there, done that/seen this all before” unoriginality. It’s immensely difficult to BE original with ideas anymore (Hollywood as a whole is currently proving this, sadly), but indie film always manages to find its way to that place of making an impression, even if to just small extents, and that’s what we have here, a total win in my book. Visually the film remains just like its base storyline–straightforward and unimpeded by need for elaborate set pieces or effects, delivering smoothly shot imagery that fully embraces the nighttime events take place during (a la Michael Mann, but on a smaller scale), focusing on the characters themselves and the myriad of fluctuations in their demeanor we’re privy to.
This is of course the very first effort I’ve seen featuring the two leads, which is always what I enjoy about the independent film arena–getting to witness talent, new or established, that I’ve personally never had the opportunity to watch. We begin with Cowley and his role as Jessi, a man trying to find his way through a plight that has him acting on whatever means are needed to get a task completed–ANYTHING. Yet, with the particular offer he has on the table thanks to an emotionally deteriorating man out to see “justice” done against someone who’s wronged him grievously, Jessi’s apparent “usual” wiles he employs don’t have the effect he’s seeking and soon he’s embroiled in a venture that could either make or break what he’s trying to achieve. It’s a perfect exhibition of veiled purpose, total vanity, and sly cunning that is displayed through Cowley’s performance as this character, and it makes Jessi someone more interesting to follow than he might have been otherwise. What I also think makes it work here is the ever-common element of understatement, allowing for an energetic performance that then has somewhere to GO as the character is revealed.
Likewise, Renteria provides that same aspect to his role as Mr. Lord, a local Miami man of means and substance, or at least he WAS until an apparent rash of occurrences that have now begun to cripple him mentally and financially weigh him down, costing more than he’s willing to abide by. Requiring a certain type of person to carry out his own notions of revenge against at least one specific wrongdoer he’s been slighted by (even if it appears by his OWN actions and no-one else’s!), Mr. Lord tries to hire Jessi to do a dirty deed, though NOT in the manner by which his hiree initially had in mind. As the grand scheme is brought to light and Jessi has second thoughts, Mr. Lord’s own desperation could spell a downfall greater than he would have ever anticipated and his seemingly endless ego and street smarts could get turned against him thanks to the haze of anger and desire for “payback” he’s looking for. It’s an adeptly intense performance Renteria provides, very much embodying the attitude and bearing of a man on the edge of losing sanity and perhaps a lot more whose grasping on precariously to what he believes is control.
The main supporting role here, via voice only, belongs to Lili Rentería and honestly, that’s all I am going to say. So, in total, “Objetos de Deseo”, which translates to “Objects of Desire”, astutely, fervently, and with candid resolve presents a raw, blunt statement about the art of manipulation, illustrating a consummately altered kind of seduction that can blind you to the actual objectives being orchestrated and carried out, reminding us of just how easily we can be fooled when not allowing our thinking to be clear in the moment.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
