WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Ever want something someone else does? Watching from the sidelines as a goal is reached successfully, or something else of value and meaning is attained while you remain a spectator? What happens when the situation arises that gives you a chance to make it happen for you? Do you take it? Struggling Indian-American actress Anjali (Ami Sheth) is only trying to make a life for herself that satisfies. On the cusp of believing things might be on the upswing, a sudden change in her circumstances drives her to seek comfort and counsel from two of her best friends, a South Asian gay couple Kartik (Sadiq Samani) and Saif (Saks Afridi). But when they being talking about wanting a child, Anjali’s overall predicament turns even more chaotic when the pair asks her to be their surrogate. But will the choice cause more conflict or deeper connection for the three friends?
Next, my Mind:
Bonds of friendship, the mechanism of intent, the consequences of actions pursued or taken, broken trust, forgiveness, and the weight of conscious but potentially damaging choice are some of the creative motif and considerations present in this 14-minute dramatic short from writer/director/producer Omar Rahim and co-producer Karishma Dube which made its New York Premier at the inaugural 2019 New York City South Asian Film Festival sponsored by Toyota. The film’s brief runtime leaves the narrative no room to be slowed down or necessarily fully fleshed out to extents that it could have been, and therefore it pushes along with perfectly paced resolution in showcasing the dilemma one young woman finds herself in when her two best friends offer her a chance to bless them richly with a goal they have, but yet in doing so, will send her on her own path of ponderings and longings for something similarly desires that will ultimately threaten everything the trio treasures about their association and companionship.
It’s the total volatility of the situation that gets heightened even more as the proceedings slowly but definitively escalate, decisions are carried out in highly unanticipated ways, inward emotional upheaval takes over, and suddenly all three of the friends find themselves in compromising positions, abruptly at odds collectively and individually as to how they actually view their relationships with each other, unsure of exactly how they get past it all. Even as motives and other explanations are made known and the questioning subsides, the film’s finale utilizes both bluntly obvious and equally conjecture-laden elements that effectively leaves the viewer to wonder whether the supposed return to bliss they encounter will last or if possibly hidden truths will come back to haunt them. It sounds overdramatic perhaps to word things like that, but it really is evident total rectification may or may not have occurred. Yet, isn’t this the beauty of indie cinema when everything doesn’t always have to be wrapped up in a nice bow to be quality artistry?
It’s simply, as so much of independent film is, a study in human frailty even in joyful instances overall, the paths we tread when opportunity arises and we allow emotion to dominate over logic, and having to accept at times that the things we long for cannot always be had, especially if it’s at the expense of those we treasure and whose happiness we should revel in and root for rather than, even if quietly inside, be jealous of. Sheth very much excels with a mix of low and high intensity of dramatic flare through her role as Anjali, a wanna-be actress trying desperately to make her own mark on life and yet finding the road is not going in the direction she wishes. Upon leaning on the gay couple she cherishes as her best friends, the news of their wanting a child and subsequently after other discussion want her to be their surrogate offer her the chance to accomplish something that will bless them and perhaps even be cathartic for herself, or possibly cause more harm than good. Sheth embodies these fluctuations in demeanor with fine delivery and grounded realism.
Samani likewise brings a vibrant sense of believability to his role as Kartik, one half of the gay couple Anjali considers her primary sources of encouragement and advice. His evident outgoing personality and more carefree attitudes are still honed by enough sense of control to remain focused on the primary concept on the table between himself and his partner, which is to have a child. Also knowing fully that he wishes Anjali to be the surrogate and his adoration of her in general, it only makes the circumstance later than that much more awkward. Samani brings all this to bear beautifully through his performance. Afridi offers, at least initially, the more understated of the characters via his turn as Saif, the more reserved half of the duo who most assertively places thinking things out over immediate emotional reaction, though he has no less passion for his relationship with Kartik because of this. But, when the situation with Anjali’s choice to accept their offer begins to go astray, it’s a time that shakes Saif to the core, and the self-assessment that happens, even if oh so briefly, is quite impactful to the story. That dichotomy of base feelings vs. one’s identity is very affectingly portrayed by Afridi and lends weight to the grander scope of the film’s premise.
Therefore, in total, “Agency”, with its title’s word actually utilized on multiple fronts when one really studies the context and meaning of it and applies it to the film, carries the ideas presented within it strongly and entertainingly while becoming a cautionary tale about the delicacy and fortitude of friendship, the power of what we desire, how we pursue it, and causing us to think about what the ramifications might be should we see our own needs over those of others we value.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
