HollyShorts Film Festival 2026 Short Film Review “Lunch Box” A wholeheartedly entertaining tribute to classrooms, cliques, camaraderie, and cheering for the underdogs
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First, the Recap:
In many a contest, well, really in ALL, there are winners and there are losers. It would be nice to believe that anyone, regardless of who they are, what skill level they possess, or having any ability to compete whatsoever in a given event would be seen to have merit. Yet, the nature of life’s game just doesn’t tend to allow for that. Hence, when you find yourself on the team that seems to fall short all the time, how do you discover your worth? You just keep going!
At this local school, there’s a daily ritual taking place. It’s always The All-Stars, led by Danny (Kai Jackson Szopa), and The Rejects, led by Jimmy (Grady Bartholf). The stakes? A game of touch football with a tasty box of food-based loot as the prize. When the outcomes never seem to be in question, and every attempt by those being defeated to have a shot fails, what might happen when a “never-give-up” attitude, a sudden change of sport, plus a new student named Patrick (Kai Morgan) collide?
Next, my Mind:
When you are accepted to the HollyShorts Film Festival, it is no small thing. In my small bit of overall experience getting to cover some of the short film projects being featured in a given year’s event, suffice it to say, I personally have never been disappointed. The sheer quality of what is chosen and showcased is nothing short of amazing. So, when we now turn to HSFF 2026 and this 11-minute short film that recently screened there, arriving courtesy of writer/director Sean Billings, writer/director Romeo Okwara, producer Varina Shaughnessy, alongside executive producers Jerry Almendarez, Monique Almendarez, Jamie Billings, Mark Billings, Kareem Martin, Jackie Merry, Maira Mieles, and Neha Srivatsa, the trend of unmitigated excellence continues I am so very glad to report. If anything, it makes me realize why this festival is one of the premier indie film exhibitions as well as being an Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying venue.
What we have here is a one hundred percent entertaining, heartening, humorous, dramatic, and overall keenly executed throwback to the days of being a child, attending middle school (in this case), having to be “the new kid”, not belonging, jocks vs. nerds, finding your identity, embracing it, and making the most of even the most seemingly humiliating circumstances while NEVER…GIVING…UP! This is encapsulated within a narrative (based one of the filmmaker’s own life) that sees these core concepts encountered over 3 particular days of “routine” by two decidedly different cliques of kids and the daily contest that rules their existence, tries to define everyone’s worth, tests friendship’s bonds, and ultimately encourages us to release damaging mentalities and discover the means to just get along already.
The entire notions of simply what we were LIKE when younger, the still-developing (dare I say at times ignorant); mindsets, the overt separations of “classes” we placed each other within, the lack of confidence vs. those who seemed to have it in spades, senses of competition (both literal and figurative), and the formation of what could end up turning into life-long associations, it’s all so deftly portrayed throughout this film’s cornerstone focus which is, at least in my opinion, OVERCOMING. The writing here, the grander approach of how this narrative is fused together to encompass all the aspects of what we recall as kids and how it influenced us to become who we are now, being able to look back and realize just how “in-the-dark” we perhaps were, and then how we’ve grown out of it to just SEE people, it’s beautiful. The finale this film offers cements that into our minds with magnificently effective, touching, and persistently persuasive power.
I think it’s witnessing such a relatively uncomplicated film take on the far more complex nature of human dynamics that makes this effort work so well, and I always applaud the filmmakers for pulling from their own lives in order to bring out the necessary messaging here, as it only makes it more accessible and relatable for the viewer. As I still state with consistent verity, ensemble casts are excellent when all work as a cohesive unit, hence making the greater whole all the better for it. I felt this was the case once more when it comes to this film’s cast, an absolutely energetic, committed, and just plain FUN group of young actors whom you can tell just enjoyed the ride, relishing the opportunity to actually BE kids, and so astutely embodying the very essence of all that being the depicted age offered when it comes to the “politics” of school hierarchy and associated “rules” that applied.
Szopa has the honor of playing the “bully” here, the head of the “The All-Stars” (aka: the jock/popular crowd) named Danny, who is a part of a daily ritual that basically entails him and his “crew” squaring off and mainly humiliating their “opposites”, the Rejects, in a game of touch football, with the “stakes” not just holding onto his precious reputation, but all gaining the coveted “lunch box” of goodies that acts as the game’s trophy each day. Even as Danny eggs on his team with, here, a more playful “arrogance” rather than outright meanness or overt dominance over them or towards the Rejects, his attitude could still lead to getting set up for what we are hoping might be the inevitable “fall of the King”. Szopa is fully engaging, and again, fun to watch play this kind of character whom many of us can truly relate to from our own earlier school days. I know, being transparent, that this critic sure can! A solid performance.
On the other side of things we find the head of the “The Rejects”, Jimmy, as played with equal enthusiasm and intent by Bartholf, who utilizes every little nuance and acting tool in his repertoire to draw us in and make us empathize with him and his cadre of “losers” who are constantly on the receiving end of The All-Stars’ daily pummeling they dish out. Yet, what strikes you quickly is that Jimmy never completely allows this to defeat him, nor prevent him from doing all he can to encourage his friends, who we can tall are the backbone of his existence at the school, even as each of them are the ones battling low self-esteem and/or self worth. But, it is this dogged determination to NOT back down to The All-Stars that resonates through the atmosphere the film and this character creates, and for me, that is a testament to the grounded believability and resolute manner that Bartholf exudes through this role. Another solid performance.
Morgan then has the dubious privilege of getting to play the one who gets involuntarily pulled into BOTH group’s sphere of influence as the new kid in the school, Patrick. Being “sized up” from the very first moment he enters the others’ classroom, to the myriad of times he gets approached by both sides to be a part of “their team”, Patrick is perhaps both flattered and flustered by all the drama he’s being made to endure, yet does so with such an affable magnitude of genuine kindness and acceptance, he really turns into a possible catalyst for change of demeanor and outlook for both groups involved. Much less proving that, as we should all truly know to at least SOME extent in life…never judge a book by its cover! I loved the way Morgan brings out Patrick’s sense of wondering where he belongs, yet never allows it to seem like it cripples the character, but rather ends up driving him forward in choosing who to fold in with. Wonderful and well acted.
Primary supporting roles are aplenty, arriving first from Tyler Nunnery as Declan, who has the duty of being “Lord of the Lunch Box” each day the two groups meet for the slaugh….or I mean equal competition….via gathering the items included in it and showing them off before the teams play. There’s this subtle yet wholly present joy we get watching Declan like his place in things, and Nunnery brings that out quite nicely through his performance. Then we have the teams, with Benjamin Carro, Darby David, and Cam Healy as David, Roberta (“Robbie”), and Adam who round out The Rejects along with Julian Alexis, Elliana Dauplaise, and Grayson Hood as Chris, Samantha, and Rasheed who make up the rest of Danny’s All-Stars. Each of these actors brings their own levels of vibrant personalities to the table in order to best put forth the display of either frustrated yet stalwart feelings towards the daily routine or the overconfident and apparently undefeatable manner that signals trouble on the horizon. The entire group does a fantastic job and I want to extend that full credit to them all for the efforts put forth. Congratulations and keep acting!
An additional supporting appearance is made by Seaanna Savage as the kid’s teacher Ms. Matheson. So, in total, “Lunch Box” is an endearing ode to those days of youth, presented in a way that amusingly yet candidly highlights what it is to strive to find your identity and dignity in a time in life filled with raw feelings and emerging ideas about what skills we possess, the company we choose to keep, and the ability to find a way past the uncertainties to a sunnier and victorious road, an underdog story emphatically worth rooting for, supporting, and STILL learning a lesson or two from.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
