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First, the Recap:
Captured and controlled. In essence–trapped. Not a feeling most of us prefer to find ourselves in the midst of, for alone our human nature demands we be free, able to do what we wish on our own terms, and at least engage the perceived ability of knowing what a given outcome will most likely be. When in a circumstance that takes away this sense of “sovereignty” completely, it manifests another of life’s most precarious and unpleasant concepts–fear. For apartment manager Sam (Patrick Burkard), reality is nothing but being as reclusive as possible while still carrying out his thankless job and entertaining another particularly bad habit. But, upon coming into the possession of a supposedly rare computer game, things suddenly start to take a turn for the worse.
Next, my Mind:
I’ve said in prior reviews of films encompassing anything contained within the wide range of styles that is the horror/thriller genre that it takes an effort which specifically works on my mind, causing that sense of tangible unease and tension, then feasibly and (ideally) creatively maintaining it throughout the story being conveyed. The OTHER element I mention to quite a great extent when it comes to indie cinema is its ability, when presented effectively, to capture you with simplicity and straightforward execution rather than hyper complex or more grandiose delivery that might rely too heavily on ONLY what we SEE rather than what we can gain from a more character and story-driven focus. Well, all of this is to say that the new student short film project from writer/director/associate producer/editor Francis Han, producers Reese Bobo and Tanner Storck, and associate producer/editor Manav Komal beautifully combines both sets of factors above and blends them into a surprisingly taut little exercise in contemporary noir and creepy chills.
Wrapped in a wonderfully orchestrated aura of eeriness and uncomplicated, definitively quirky, enigmatically disturbing apprehension, the narrative sees a decidedly self-serving and self-destructive apartment manager have a less than stellar day after choosing to–acquire–an unconventional computer game that has some serious attitude issues when one chooses to attempt NOT to complete it. What this critic felt was one of the biggest assets the film offered was how it made us initially question exactly what reality and state of being the primary character was inhabiting once events begin to take the ominous direction they do. Is it madness born of imagination? An alternate world? A haze of delusion from other facets of his life he’s struggling with and that influence him? ALL of this? Mind you, I’m not trying to make this into MORE than it seems here either, but I guess I just truly enjoyed being swept up into the actuality we witness, though as the film takes us towards its conclusion, I did NOT envy the character’s swan song. Or was it?
Conjecture is a gorgeous thing, at least I felt it was present here, and while it may appear evident as to how the story reaches its finale, things are left for us as the viewer, equal parts intelligently and mysteriously, as to precisely what just transpired and more so pondering literally WHAT is behind it all in a grander scope. To be continued? Perhaps, should the film’s director opt to explore this nefarious game some more, which this critic cannot deny could be quite fun. As indicated above, the film utilizes a noir-based visual style and narrative manner to a certain degree, with a decidedly sinister use of a shadow and, in this case, an almost darkly humorous demeanor for its lead character that makes him both deeply cynical yet oddly offbeat at times. But, once the film finds its footing in the more haunting components of the tale, it’s all a descent into menace, desperation, and building anxiety that serves the film well, paired with a highly apropos music score that does create the necessary, underlying air of foreboding befitting the narrative’s course.
Thematically, the film tackles the notions of addiction, ego, reclusiveness, how we numb our inner pain in order to escape real responsibility, our penchant for thinking ourselves better than we really are (much less being “above” others), and even that in certain ways we think ourselves proverbially “invincible”, having it all figured out, but can quickly find out just how wrong we are–the price paid for our folly. Burkard, whom of course I have never seen on screen before, honestly seems like the perfect choice to embody the cloistered, self-absorbed lead character Sam, a man existing within a mundane, thankless “career” as an apartment manager and who treats the few people he even interacts with in an equally dismissive manner. But, when finagling his way into taking ownership of a purported rare computer game, any sense of “normalcy” he’s been experiencing takes a sharply alternative direction, and where it leads is both unknown yet frighteningly expected given his actions and attitudes towards others he’s prone to.
It’s another one of those decently subtle, grounded, yet substantially intense performances that Burkard achieves, imbuing Sam’s character with undeniable “love to hate” yet also pitifully-sympathetic-towards qualities that suit the story so well. Primary supporting roles arrive from George Ross Bridgman as the elderly but deliciously, understatedly minacious man and keeper of the infamous game, who may be much more than he seems or simply a conduit for something even more direful, Numa Khandwani as Mary, one of the tenants in Sam’s building who isn’t ending up on his good side thanks to financial strains she’s having but who could also be involved in more than meets the eye, and voice-only “appearances” from Nick Palladino and Danne Lacancellera. So, in total, “503” represents a beginning, a venture into the realms of indie filmmaking that this group of students is striving to embrace, improve upon, and grow further immersed inside of, while fearlessly showcasing their willingness to demonstrate an aptly learned core ability to succeed and create entertaining cinema.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
