Short Film Review “What We Wished We Could Be” An achingly stirring illustration of malpractice, coping, and true love
WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW:
First, the Recap:
The unimaginable consequences of negligence and apathy. It’s a combination of factors that can never amount to anything good for those who must face a dire actuality that may have no end, or cure, in sight. With a fateful inevitability in play, the means by which someone could even attempt to find a single ray or semblance of hope seems equally elusive. Yet, in spite of the final outcome, might there actually be those who WILL stand by someone who needs immeasurable solace in their most desperate hour?
For Aiden (Jamie Muscato), the crippling effects of contaminated blood have overtaken his every moment since being infected by products meant to address his hemophilia. In the middle of it all is his girlfriend Charlotte (Anoushka Lucas) who from the very beginnings of their relationship must deal with the truths about Aiden’s condition. But, when a potential solution comes around, it will test the couple to their limits, pushing them to make choices that will define their now-shattered former plans.
Next, my Mind:
Frankly, reality tends to hit harder than fiction. It often serves as a necessary reminder of what is actually transpiring in our world, whether to our benefit or, more sadly, our detriment. When the latter becomes the case, it’s ideally addressed as a persuasive, gut-punch level, awareness-inspiring endeavor so that we might never forget what it is to CARE about our fellow human beings and find far better means to conduct ourselves in a manner that HELPS instead of hurts. Such reminders are candidly forefront, and deeply forthright, through the 21-minute short film from writer/director/executive producer Luke Shelley, writer/executive producer Jenna-Louise Hawkins, producer Sophie Stacey, co-producer Yasmin Rais, plus executive producers Chris Overton, Rebecca Harris-Turner, Mustapha Wehbi, Delphino Huang, James Patterson, and Yannick Hausler. Here, it’s harsh, undeniably jarring truths that hit home like an atom bomb.
Based on and directly influenced by, as the film’s pre-credits clearly state on screen at its end, “4,689 true stories” that manifested out of the tragically wide-spread UK contaminated blood scandal from the 1970’s through 80’s (and even into the early 90’s!), the narrative presented sees a young man’s harrowing, debilitating foray through the trials and hopelessness of the transfusion-induced infection he’s gotten in the midst of trying to plan ANY future with his girlfriend even as they gain a POSSIBLE ray of light at the end of his otherwise dire road. When you truly absorb the magnitude of sheer irresponsibility involved in circumstances that cause Aiden’s plight to begin with, much less how overtly drastic the ripple effect of it is having on BOTH him and Charlotte’s abruptly upended lives, there’s a serious degree of burning anger you feel towards all who were genuinely responsible….and who were NEVER held to account for it.
As hinted at above, the NEEDED litany of statistics that get conveyed to us just prior to the film’s end credits are so shocking in their absolute portrait of not just some accidental human error-based incident, but legitimate and inexcusable INACTION to prevent what ultimately occurred, it SHOULD to this DAY cause us to STOP, stand up, and fight back even harder against this manner of disregard, carelessness, and, oh yeah, the DEATH of over 3,000 people because of it! Add to all of that the mere fact that all those who were impacted by it then faced being stigmatized, being unhealthy in all sorts of ways, and were given treatments that had numerous and harmful side-effects. Of course, this was all made worse by the fact it was shown that patients were KNOWINGLY mislead by both government and medical entities. Folks, let’s be blunt….THIS KIND OF THING SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!!! Period.
In the context of this film’s narrative, the potency of these messages being delivered about all of the above is well-depicted and legion, showcasing the building agitation, sense of isolation, taking singular actions, utter struggle to even believe in optimism or resilience, shattered dreams, and seemingly unending scope of emotional and physical pain involved, wrenching in its heartbreaking, devastating ramifications on those who unfortunately and totally unnecessarily (had things been done RIGHT!!) experienced it. HOWEVER…..what makes indie film so effective when diving into such hard subjects is that it DOES frequently find pathways into the core soul of what authentic, all-encompassing, steadfast LOVE looks like, which becomes a facet of this film’s narrative’s execution that completely immerses you in its emotive strength through providing profoundly affecting sequences that cement this notion into your mind with the force of a freight train.
It is a testament to people who CHOOSE to NOT end up letting what COULD have broken them apart DO that, instead PUSHING THROUGH and making someone in unadulterated inward and outward agony realize just HOW loved they really are. Additionally, the film has a magical segment that particularly illustrates and adeptly emphasizes the project’s title to perfection. Plus, the finale we are witness to is a flat out “grab the tissues and let the tears flow” instance that more than successfully puts the exclamation point on ALL we have seen and been transfixed by throughout the entire runtime. It is about acceptance and a willingness to also welcome HELP even in the face of impossibility and a still long, difficult, uncertain journey ahead. There’s no other way to word it, so this critic will just state that this style of awareness-raising, conscious-piercing, fearless filmmaking and the stories told are PARAMOUNT for us as the filmgoing public to support and embrace more. This is another example of where a film’s music score does its job with sweeping excellence, beautifully adding that layer of apropos ambiance befitting the effort’s tone.
Muscato creates a literal tapestry of dynamically portrayed, heavily volatile emotional states of being–tenderly subdued, conspicuously fiery, and rawly vulnerable–through a tour-de-force performance via his role as Aiden, a man who once had a million desires for what the future could hold until being unceremoniously sidelined though a tainted transfusion of blood to treat his hemophilia. Now finding a possible solution via a new treatment, the true depth of his existing condition, much less the number of side-effects the meds have, hasn’t been completely shared with his girlfriend who’s now learning about it, recalling their relationship’s history, AND questioning how or IF they can move forward. How this comes around is the gist of the story, and the undisguised intensity of what Aiden is going through, again within and without, is so excruciatingly extreme, with Muscato guiding the character through it with unreal believability, unfeigned energy and heartbreaking veracity that pulls you into Aiden’s reality with ease.
We will not take a single thing away from the other primary player in the mix, Lucas, who exudes an equally noteworthy, credible air of emotive vigor that matches Muscato to a “T” through her role as Charlotte, Aiden’s longstanding, and now perhaps long-suffering, girlfriend who’s currently coming into better knowledge of where his condition stands and the subsequent, highly significant decision he’s made that threatens to tear them apart. Charlotte’s recollecting of everything they’ve been through since first finding out about his condition drives her forward, but Aiden’s own selfish notions about how HIS life is falling to pieces that ignores HERS is actually taking the same brunt of unsettledness will begin to try and define them in the now. It soon turns into the choice of whether love can overcome adversity, for both of their sakes, and Lucas’ ability to present the frustration, faltering exceptions of what can even come next, and unconditional understanding the character endures is so impressive in its candor, focus, poise, and delivery.
The point is, the pair have superb chemistry, and it only makes the aforementioned final scene that much more powerfully touching. So, in total, “What We Wished We Could Be” is an unflinching, engaging, brilliantly conceived, heavy-hitter of a film that doesn’t shy away from the compelling necessity to expound on the themes it centers on while still being willing to demonstrate that fervent adoration, indisputable compassion, fresh dreams, and valuing the time we have DOES exist. This is precisely what people in these situations and others NEED. May we LEARN from films like this to exemplify, then LIVE, it, by putting everything into practice more while seeking to do what we can to ensure foundational events LIKE what is shared about here DON’T happen.
STAR RATING (OUT OF 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Do you know where I can watch it online please?