WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Decisions. We ALL make them, QUITE often, EVERY single day. It goes without saying that our entire life will be taken up from dawn til dusk with making determinations that impact our days. Now, one would hope that said actions would be of a beneficial nature. Yet, we know that sometimes that simply isn’t the case. And when facing the poorer ones, it then becomes about how exactly we bounce back.
For three high school friends–Aisha (Nay Nay Kirby), Jessica (Nandi Nfr Ka), and Portia (Maxcianna Saintilus)–a time of reflection on past and current situations has come about. They all share a commonality between them, one having gone through her own option while another exists in the midst of it. Now, it comes down to Jessica and her wishing to know how it will all turn out. But, the ultimate need in the moment remains–to know she isn’t alone.
Next, my Mind:
The weight of choices made, their ramifications, and the varying manners in which we choose to proceed when the equally potent burden of responsibility becomes a key factor setting up the realities ahead of us all form the primary gist of this Oscar qualifying 13-minute indie short film from writer/director/executive producer Kameishia Wooten, producers Janae D. Green and Meagann Pallares, and executive producer Victoria Brown. In brief but refreshingly uncomplicated manner, the film’s ability to address its main topic while adeptly managing to be both compelling and affecting about it showcases indie cinema’s undeniably excellent means to allow real life actualities to be present but relatable, accessible, and evocative. Thankfully, filmmakers willing to BE awareness-raising in intent yet wholly unflinching about what they choose to portray in general is always a welcome, necessary thing.
One could argue the cornerstone subject matter at hand, teen pregnancy, has been done ad nauseam. But, when quite frankly it IS this important TO address, we shouldn’t BE tired of it. The narrative here that sees an interestingly dynamic interaction between three high school friends facing the same exact issue, but at different stages of their experiences, coming together to aid the newest among them to HAVE the dilemma at hand, the film’s brevity works heavily in its favor, allowing us to have just the right amount of build-up to what’s occurring without it becoming an excuse to get “preachy” or overbearing in its subject matter. I am being purposefully vague about the details, only in that it serves you better to WATCH the film when possible to take it in and maintain a sense of “newness” to the film’s objectives.
Of course, also being honest, the principal theme can be obvious to many just from the film’s poster image, or by reading the brief synopsis on its IMDb page, but I still feel it’s more imperative, ideally, to not JUST go with that, which COULD elicit a “Oh, ANOTHER film about THAT?” for some. There’s so much more to it, at least in this critic’s opinion. Notions of teen attention spans, lack of direct interaction with a parent, the whole idea OF parenting and its challenges, how distracted younger generations are in the day and age of technology, the secrets we keep, what we hide from our own families, facing our misjudgments, the raw realities about physical intimacy and its unplanned for results, true friendship and understanding, plus the powerfully impactful importance of having a genuine support system around you are all thematic tangents here
It’s all laid out very persuasively over the narrative’s course. The finale of the film solidifies this as well, and again, I hope it becomes the conscious-pricking tale that it should be, while still being touching and totally credible in its delivery. Plus, the added benefit given is that the film chooses to allow FOR illustrating the very aspect its title engenders in the context of both what WAS in the moments that brought the characters to their present circumstances AND the VARIED ways they are moving forward. It’s ALL-encompassing rather than JUST about ONE particular outcome being in focus, and that lends substantial weight to the film’s messages, at least for my interpretation of them. In an age when certain opinions get thrown out there as “this is the ONLY way”, etc, it’s nice to see a filmmaker present a concept even-handedly while NOT sacrificing a narrative’s purpose.
It is always a pleasure to watch a fresh, newer cast of young actors getting an opportunity to shine, and this is a wonderful example of it starting with Kirby as Aisha, a high-spirited but inwardly struggling young girl who’s already had a rough loss in her life, a father who’s trying to to reconnect with her in its wake, and the aftermath of a decision that drastically altered her perceptions of what life can bring about when not ready for it. Yet, in spite of this, she becomes a source of both playfully chiding yet unyielding support for another friend who now has her own move to make and is uncertain how to proceed. This truly shows Aisha’s commitment to friendship and shared circumstances while not forcing any direction her friend should go, and I appreciated the genuineness of how Kirby portrays tough love tempered with real heart.
Saintilus plays Portia, a childhood friend of Aisha’s who really wasn’t to be a part of this day’s “event” but is present at Jessica’s request, much to Aisha’s initial hesitation. Another of the trio who can directly empathize with their mutual situations, Portia represents another viewpoint of how she is choosing to handle it that at first becomes a source of anxiety for Jessica, a different way to think about what could come next for her own path. Portia’s very blunt and straightforward outlook on what it means to be in this state of being, especially physically, is both comedic and completely credible in its content, which causes Jessica that sudden trepidation. But, it doesn’t alter how Portia, like Aisha, is one hundred percent there for not only her own decisions, but for whatever that might look like for Jessica, and it’s an equally heartfelt performance Saintilus provides.
Nfr Ka is Jessica, a cheerleader and prom queen contender who now finds herself in a predicament that upends all her current thoughts on where her life is going and now might not. Fortunate to have a pair of friends who not only care about her but also have their own first hand experience in what she’s facing, Jessica gets two relevant and different courses to be aware of through them, some of which causes her further apprehension. But, even as the very first step required is coming about, both humorously and seriously addressed, Jessica ends up confronting her own future with at least more joy than doubts, finding the simply beauty of having support from those closest and dearest to her. Nfr Ka delivers all of this with both conspicuous vulnerability and a resolute assuredness that befits the character perfectly.
The one primary supporting role comes through talented veteran character actor Keith Arthur Bolden as Aisha’s father David, who more than adeptly paints a portrait of a single father only wanting to do what’s right for his daughter and connect with her anew based on where their lives have gone since an only-indicated-by-conjecture loss had shaken their world. Additional supporting appearances arrive from Jared Skolnick, Nikita Faber, Oti Yonwuren, Alex Sanchez, LaShan Anderson, Adjovi Koene, Hafi Mustafa, and Melissa Perez. So, in total, “Choices” deftly reflects what its title advises via multi-layered meaning and fully apropos attitude that melds into an engaging, surprisingly fun, but deeply intentional exploration of a topic completely worthy of attention and ongoing contemplation, as seeing its pertinence requires no hard choice at all–well–other than to then HEED the lessons it conveys.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
