WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW:
First, the Recap:
Remorses and the perils of impulsiveness. At the most volatile moments of our lives, when or if we discover the real depths of loneliness and yearning for some form of connection again to the world, it can open the door to potentially damaging decisions instead of fulfillment. Yet, even when choices made sometimes begin with that which could be detrimental, is there any chance that something positive might ultimately be birthed? Or, is it only a set up for further disappointment and disillusion in facing the evil that men do?
Having long since retired from a career that in itself was less than chaste, and in spite of the financial success gained from it, former adult actor Walter (Paul Hughes) only has ghosts of his past and isolation as his companions. However, with the help of a still-estranged daughter who sends people to him to be guests in his home, the somewhat mysterious Cain (Fergus Foster) becomes a catalyst for Walter to end up meeting Doll (Lou Gala), an equally enigmatic young woman whom Walter enjoys the company of. But, the reality of her situation is anything but good for them both.
Next, my Mind:
The initial innocence of intent, questionable opportunities, the weight and desperation of long-standing solitude, the undeniable beauty of basic human connection, and the overtly dark realities of a pitch black, eerily manipulative, abusive, and diabolical business all take center stage as core explorations through this 40-minute indie short film from co-writers/co-directors/co-producers/co-editors Martin Lloyd and Anja Ramaroson, producer/executive producer Richard Tomes, and executive producer Natasha Pikoul (who also served as the composer here). Given that I always aim never to spoil anything in reviews, let’s simply say still that this was, for me, one of most creative efforts to showcase all of the above that I’ve seen, providing all the character and story-driven elements I expect from independent cinema, creating a relatable and grounded narrative while likewise painting an unflinching, soul jarring, portrait of how one moment’s whim can bring unexpected joys….or consequences.
Finding its footing through a narrative that sees an unwitting retiree end up in a more than dubious situation that he actually has on idea of what ramifications his pursuit of it has garnering, the strange, even eccentric, fascination with this tale rests IN both its up front yet also underlying odyssey through the shady underbelly of an ominous and VERY tragically all-too-real “industry” of exploitation while showcasing just how the machinations of those involved can be initiated and carried forth with scary magnitudes of ease and cleverly calculated subterfuge. BUT, what becomes an even greater surprise here amidst a dark premise is the additional and honestly quite affecting tapestry laid out illustrated the ultimate wonder of foundational revelation of newfound trust, necessary emotional release, a healing of soul, and reinvigorated, uncomplicated joy of LIFE again that gets conveyed through Walter and Doll’s unexpected bond formed from their mutually shared, even if VERY different kinds, of pain and yearning for being seen, genuinely appreciated, and valued as a PERSON again.
 
It’s really a sublime and potent dichotomy of scenarios depicted here, but that’s again what makes the film stand out in this critic’s opinion. As is so much the case with indie efforts, there is a wealth of thematic tangents we are privy to, from coping with our pasts, isolation, and the ghosts that accompany it, the loss of self when reality seems empty, how others can prey upon this without any remorse, being vulnerable due to our unfamiliarity with the current world we’ve separated ourselves from for too long, and the invasive nature of it, to the impact of broken lives coming together, the effects of deeply imbued fear, trauma, and conditioned response due to the factors which trigger it all, experiencing how memory tends to haunt us rather than please us, and relishing that reconnection with someone that brings synergetic, albeit here, brief relief from the burdens of harsh actualities all get expanded on here. And it’s a more subdued manner of execution that allows all of the above to be presented, which almost belies the actual tension and somber atmosphere that forms the backdrop of Walter and Doll’s story.
The finale is equally as subtle but no less powerful and, frankly, disturbing in its outcome, putting a firm exclamation point on the ugliness of the world being looked at through the eyes of tho0se whose sole mission is to use and maltreat others for their own gains, which only makes the moments of genuine charm between two people desperate for inner and outer liberation that much more crushing as they are tender. Understatement reigns as the primary aspect of the performances here, very apropos for the narrative, and highly effective in its uniqueness given the aura of fundamental unease we’re seeing. First, Hughes gives us a very well-rounded, fully credible turn as Walter, a man whose separation from everything that once both meant something to him but were also the keys to his life falling apart leaves him alone and wishing for SOME kind of revitalized interaction with others and himself. Thanks to an enigmatic stranger staying as a guest in his home for a brief time, Walter’s indulgence of a (unbeknownst to him) premeditated opportunity introduces him to Doll.
 
 
As he just tries to be the most gracious human being he can be, the ensuing journey getting to know her does provide a modicum of needed release but with an outcome he would never expect. There’s such a tangible air of tension, uncertainty, heart, and kindness that Hughes imbues the character with, and given how it all culminates, your empathy towards him wins out, even if we still have some reservations about how he allowed his life choices to bring him to this point. Again, it’s the understated yet fervent energy that Hughes brings that makes this story work so adeptly. Likewise, Gala delivers a fantastic and equally muted but potent performance through her role as Doll, a young woman who we find has been herself placed on a current life path that is more than dishearteningly unnerving and devastating. As it becomes more evident not only what she’s been forcibly subjected to, but that the LENGTH of time it’s been, her disconnection with so many facets of basic life is shocking as Walter tries to overcome the conspicuous “programming” and overtly crippling detachment, menace, abuse, and distress she has known.
This is the catalyst for Doll’s trust and openness to Walter grow, and turns into a cathartically endearing freedom for her to then be more and more curious about his own battles and just the greater world. Their newly minted trust and joy of actual friendship allows Doll to relax, yet all she has been through still shows and comes out in specific instances. It’s a heartening and wholly heartbreaking performance Gala provides, with the degrees of overwhelming sympathy for her character utterly undeniable and understandable. What stood out for me with this duo of Huges and Gala is that it was an intelligently conceived pairing of the “older/younger” scenario, but in a fashion that wasn’t “creepy” but rather logical for the characters they are playing given that those individuals have each had their own ventures through the shady and unscrupulous realms of what IS an incontrovertibly dank industry centered on, no matter how you attempt to look at it, nothing but profiteering from others degradation, voluntarily or not. Both actors deserve great credit here for bringing a stirringly humanized angle to this style of thematic foray.
The primary supporting role arrives through Foster as the tale’s most deviously unassuming, mysterious character Cain, a man who deftly presents himself as your normal “everyman” on the surface, yet is anything but. Having worked his way into Walter’s world, unsettlingly enough, through his target’s estranged daughter who’s only trying to give her father company, Cain sets up a plan that soon has the quarry right where he wants him. By the end of everything, Cain’s total command of everything that he had intended comes into focus, and how Foster makes us see such a seemingly humble person whose real motives and agenda are so blatantly Machiavellian is brilliantly portrayed through his performance, making Cain VERY much that character you one hundred percent love to hate. Additional appearances are made by Martin Lloyd, Anja Ramaroson, and Monty the Dog.
So, in total, “Doll #195” stands as an unapologetically uncompromising exhibition about the power of regrets, buried memories, confronting the world anew, unanticipated bonds, and the cost of being prey to others’ objectives, wrapped in a subtle yet dramatically profound shell that highlights the best and worst of humanity in beautifully hopeful and frighteningly ominous ways.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
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