WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Clean and sober. Associated most often with those struggling with alcohol addiction and the subsequent actions they’ve taken to attend AA meetings and establish a solid run of newly acquired, ideally ongoing, abstinence from their vice, it is no easy feat to accomplish. When we treat our proclivities for overindulgence in ANY form, even a steady liberation from it can still have other lasting effects that we must contend with and ultimately overcome. Once more–easier said than done. A young woman named Jules (Tiffany Chu) knows this all too well, having maintained her alcohol-free life for a year to date. Yet, she consistently encounters a rather–obscure–issue–vomiting goldfish. Upon meeting a man named Matt (Isaac Jay), her life takes a turn for improvement–or has it only become a catalyst for something far more ominous?
Next, my Mind:
Coping with our past and present addictions while confronting our deepest emotional anxieties and instability gets decidedly turned on its head with an unexpectedly, jarringly impactful effect through the new 17-minute short film effort from writer/director/producer Wendi Tang, producers Philip Yuzhong Ge and Hongwei Wu, co-producer Ruiran Chen, plus executive producers Carolina Groppa, Ziqun Lin, Jennifer Morrison, and Rui Mo that will assuredly alter your perceptions about what exactly IS occurring inside the mind of someone in recovery but still being haunted by their past and the subsequent ripples that are now spilling forth into their current circumstances. The film becomes another picture of the consistently astute genius found within the independent film community and the sheer force of will to create cinema that challenges us to view things on a different level with an applicability that goes far beyond baseline entertainment. It will been having its screenings as a selection for the 20th Anniversary HollyShorts Film Festival, which runs August 8th-18th at the renowned TCL Chinese Theater, Los Angeles.
Following a young woman who’s managed to remain sober for a year’s time that now discovers the inward battles and peculiar happenings she’s been facing could be signs of a far more alarming pattern of behavior while only trying to seek to enjoy love, acceptance, and peace in her life again, what I absolutely applaud this narrative for is its smartly executed and written utilization of both metaphorical AND nonfigurative elements which blend together beautifully and seamlessly to create a uniquely unsettling atmosphere of tension and tranquility that just captivates you even as it leaves you guessing about precisely WHAT is actually going on. The reminder of just how the specters of our poor decisions can continue to plague us in spite of everything we strive to achieve to better ourselves is a tangible presence throughout the film’s runtime, and all I can say is that by the time we reach the brilliantly crafted finale–talk about one you WILL emphatically recall!
We can all attest (or at least SHOULD do so) that addictions in ANY form our nothing to laugh at or treat with apathetic neglect, and while the film most definitely addresses the realities of those recovering from or initially admitting to alcoholism and their NEED for help, what strikes me here with the direction this narrative takes is a certain magnitude of dark humor present when it comes to our protagonist’s specific story, as on the surface it SEEMS so absurd. Yet, again, THAT also becomes the wonder and seriousness in tone that the film carries with it, as watching HOW everything Jules is contending with unfolds causes you to empathize with her–but then potentially NOT. At least that’s how it came across in how I personally interpreted the events depicted. Themes including admitting our vices, seeking and accepting help, wanting to be appreciated, trust and commitment issues, self-worth, finding our means to maintain goals, the pressures of having someone try to “know what’s best for us”, the safety nets we manufacture, the build-up of stress, and the actualities of who we really are all get addressed here with decisive intentionality.
It’s very difficult to express so much about this in a broader range, but to do in any more detail would be venturing into possible spoilers, which this critic will always refuse to do to best of his ability. It is a film that simply needs to be watched to take in the clever nuances it offers. I had the pleasure of getting to witness Chu for the first time last year via director Christina Yoon’s amazingly touching 2023 Oscar-qualifying short film drama “Motherland“, and the actress has not remotely lost a step in ANY form, though this time taking on a much more overtly intense character role here as Jules, a young woman in recovery from alcohol addiction that is now having to encounter an ongoing issue that plagues her. Managing to find a means to deal with it, a newfound connection with a fellow AA attendee shakes up her existence and opens her up to fresh potential for love and normalcy. But, as the relationship progresses, whether she CAN actually hold to it may bring about a darker outcome.
As with her performance in “Motherland”, though again in a totally different manner, Chu excels in navigating highly fervent emotional volatility in all its forms, and from start to finish here, she once more pulls you as the viewer into a world that is admittedly quirky, cathartic, relatable, and ultimately, undeniably unnerving. Jay is that perfect illustration of an “everyman”, presenting an affability and genuine charm that superbly befits his role here as Matt, a fellow AA meeting attendee who captures Jules’ attention when she finds out about his affinity for fish–something she is more than familiar with herself. His attraction to her is plain, and as he explores a budding then full-on relationship with her, the desire to help get her through her eccentric issue becomes apparent–until it begins to take turns she may or may not actually find she wants. How it goes from there soon becomes the point of contention between them. Jay firmly establishes his presence and character’s likability with ease and understated flair, but also elevates things to high-energy and stirring intensity when needed with the same straightforward efficiency through his acting.
Primary supporting appearances are made by Cindy Michelle as the AA meeting counselor, Julyza Commodore, Seong Park, Aya Ohara, David Philip Reed, and Kaytlin Roque as Alice, Eric, Jade, David, and another AA meeting attendee, Americus Abesamis as a parking lot attendant who gets quite the introduction to Jules, and John Charles Martin as Steven, a man from Jules’ past she’d most likely rather forget. Additional appearances are made by Maria Jones, Natalie Amey, Fozia Ferozali, Emily Wolf, Ana Luiza Bourroul, Ivan Hernandez, Justin Cabanting, CJ Vinson, Regina Ip, Shanelle Iranpur, Rhianna Hill, Elisabeth Mariee, Charlene Pugh, Max Wexler, Robert Saint Valentine, Ashley Vianney Aguirre, and Tony Medina. So, in total, “Fishtank” exposes the realities of recovery, the challenges of facing our lingering demons, the beauty of reconnection, the weight of trusting again, letting go of the past, embracing the present, but also acknowledging who we truly are–though in doing so here, is it for better or worse??
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
