WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
Crime. Despite everything that would attempt to actually convince us otherwise–it simply doesn’t pay. When does enough become enough? When does a path laden with thievery finally have its end? A pair of home invaders, Alex (Tori Hope) and Ciaran (AJ Stevenson), have reached an impasse. In conflict over a robbery gone south, the two find themselves at odds in regard to another precarious circumstance–Amber (Chloe Crump).
Endeavoring to ascertain how exactly to handle her being a witness to their actions, Alex’s cold, calculating, yet scarily logical suggestions fall onto Ciaran’s decidedly distracted ears, as his overtly hesitant, more compassionate, and highly irregular ideas only serve to irritate his partner. When further discussion only brings more anger out, the two turn to Amber, whose own sanity is on edge. Suddenly, truths come to light, other motives surface, and the final outcome becomes unsure.
Next, my Mind:
For his debut 24-minute indie short film, writer/director Theo Gee (along with co-writer Ian Bousher) take a clever step to turn what honestly could have been a run-of-the-mill story into a jolt of unexpected surprise by slyly presenting how the characters ultimately interact with one another in a way that keeps the viewer guessing exactly what craziness is about to unfold, as it might seem evident at first, but then not.
Hope’s profanity-laced, annoyance and stress-driven tirades as Alex up against Stevenson’s completely beaten down and desperate-to avoid-more-ugliness Ciaran solidly delivers the intended, sharp contrast in their character’s thinking during the affair. Meanwhile, Crump’s Amber, initially no more than an observer, suddenly becomes a focal point to extremely interesting effect.
Overall, “Amber” is an edgy, well-conceived indie thriller that takes on the concepts of who we show ourselves to be vs. who we actually are and what we’re capable of.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
