WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
The regimen. The daily grind. The plan. Without question, we all march to the beat of our own drummer. Having found and settled into that everyday pattern we’re accustomed to, and if it’s ingrained deep enough, it’s something that is never broken, keeping our internal and external rhythms in synch and allowing us to function effectively in all we do. Of course, this is all well and good–until it DOES get broken. Then, what exactly will we do?? For one totally affable and musically-inclined man (Jason Watkins), it shall become this precise circumstance he will encounter when the entire concept of his normal and, frankly, risk-free existence gets severely and embarrassingly upended, throwing him into an initially confused tizzy. But, what occurs when this sudden change unexpectedly reveals a fresh and exciting new realization and opportunity?
Next, my Mind:
Let’s be clear from the beginning–for me, THIS 20-minute Oscar qualifying, Christmas holiday-centric short film arriving from writer/director/producer George Siougas, producers Luke Carroll and Michael Stevenson, plus executive producers Joshua Friedman, Rita Marcocci, and Sean Mathias is THE epitome of what indie film so adeptly EXCELS at in spades–the creative, unique, deftly executed exploration of elements associated with our human condition in a manner that not only makes these aspects displayed one hundred percent accessible to us as viewers, but still delivers excellently written, beautifully directed degrees of entertainment to boot. And here, it accomplishes this magnitude of success–sans ANY actual dialogue–at ALL–rather wholly allowing the visuals presented to speak VOLUMES to a narrative that WILL touch your heart, bless your soul, and lift your spirits as only an award-winning project can muster.
Conveyed through the perspective of one solitary man whose longstanding, unbroken pattern of life gets rather unceremoniously, even fatefully, interrupted in an instance of totally unnerving (yet inevitable, perhaps?), unforeseen, and, for him, jarring actuality during a most inopportune time but that yields an almost revelatory new viewpoint of things, it leads to an exercise in intelligent, initially subtle, then blatantly engaging comedic whimsy paired with romantic and dramatic facets based on the situation and position in his journey that we see the man living at the time and in the midst of his reality-altering plight. It assuredly showcases just NOW off-put we can find ourselves when all we’ve known is so abruptly shattered and we then have to try and adapt to something utterly new to us, usually uncomfortably, as we start stumbling over everything we try to do while attempting to “right the ship”, much less while actively pursuing an exhilarating possibility as well.
It’s about playing it safe, innate awkwardness, mortification, unanticipated awareness, loneliness from loss, giddy but still hesitant desperation, heart-all-aflutter hope, disappointment in hesitation, trying to persevere and not keep tripping over our self-made obstacles, and then, I felt most importantly, the sheer will to take the biggest gamble of our current life to see the results we’re yearning for come to pass. These thematic components just RADIATE from the film, in varying form but always with PERFECT timing, and it is this combination of fully relatable truths that infuses the film with its undeniable and well-grounded hilarity in tandem with evoking your deepest sympathies, warmest sentiments, and heartwarming inner cheers as the film’s awesomely affecting finale impacts your emotions with purposeful strength and wonderfully apropos, stirring influence. This film is such a winner on all levels, and again, achieving this via IMAGES alone! Just masterfully crafted.
It’s paying attention to the DETAILS wrapped in an ALMOST “Groundhog Day”-esque formula, but in just a far more plausible way. The cinematography here is KING, as the narrative is relying SOLELY on what we see (and hear, mind you. Kudos to the sound mixer(s)!), with a camera that smoothly and intently exhibits every little nuance we need to visually imbibe, making sure we NOTICE the things that CHANGE as our intrepid lead character’s situation gets so drastically impeded. Given the foundational gist that the film finds its sonorous groove through, the accompanying music score from composer Stephen Warbeck very astutely enhances the atmosphere of playfulness the film elicits while still being able to capture some of the more serious moments we witness as events unfold. Also, the actual orchestra that plays a major part in the narrative does a magnificent job at likewise creating the quality air of both lighthearted tension and happiness we see.
I’ve stated many a time in general through past reviews how impressed I am with actors when they have only their body language, facial expression, and perhaps a modicum of audible sounds to definitively, energetically, and credibly communicate all their character is experiencing and to say Watkins satisfies this endeavor from start to finish in this film would be an understatement, as the actor owns every scene he’s in through his role as the One Note Man, a regular guy who survives by being overtly careful (as in OCD to large extent) and contained within his daily routine, which is never-changing, while enjoying his absolute love of music and the part he, literally, plays in that arena. But, there’s a haunted side to him and when a situation arises that throws his whole semblance of balance off, it threatens to forever distract his norm.
Yet, within this perceived chaos, a new infatuation emerges that will send him on a transformational (though somewhat inelegantly at first) path that will test his resolve to be open to diversifying. It’s just so fantastically fun, even in the character’s struggles, to watch him navigate this conundrum and Watkins just chews up every moment he’s on screen with poise, outright skill, and thoroughly captivating ease. Primary supporting turns arrive from the charming Louisa Clein as the orchestra’s lead violinist whose part to offer in our man’s tale will come about in the most amazing and enchanting way and Crystal Yu in a HILARIOUSLY outstanding performance as the orchestra’s usually strait-laced conductor who soon finds herself attempting to handle building agitation, abject confusion, all-encompassing annoyance, unequivocal acceptance, then victory as our man’s travails slowly start to steer more towards triumph and she chooses to go along with it.
Additional supporting appearances are made by Paul Barber as a local florist who gets a sudden influx of business, Alexandra Laurence and Lewis Murphy-Parry as a young-and-in-love couple our man usually passes by every day until his outlook gets shifted, Daman Bamrah as a nodding man in the audience during concert sequences, and last but completely NOT least, how do you go wrong when the only real dialogue you DO hear at the start and end of the film is none other than Sir Ian McKellen himself as the narrator! So, in total, “The One Note Man” is the essence of narrative and character-driven storytelling at its endearing, inspiring, pleasurable, engrossing best, an escape to what it is to BE human, unafraid to showcase our quirks, but only in order to see how we RISE above them and discover a liberation we might have never found otherwise. Like a metronome ticking away, it illustrates just how worthy taking chances can be and keep tempo with.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
