WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Isn’t fidelity wonderful? It allows two people who are in love to establish a level of trust and devotion between them to a point where there is never a question that apart or together, the commitment remains true. Yet, here we have Charles Haux (Shan Agish), who’s chosen a period when his girlfriend Samantha is away to renew an old fling with Felicia (Natalie Pavelek). Of course, Charles’ philandering ways might be better suited if not discovering that his long away love is returning from Germany.
In a sudden, desperate panic to now have to retrieve Samantha’s dog, Bag, from her friend Cynthia’s home where he’s been kept, Charles seeks advice from really the last person he should–Felicia. Then embarking on a quest to get Bag back before Samantha’s arrival home, Charles gets caught up in the dubious and annoying obstacle that is Cynthia’s boyfriend Gil (Michael Gentile), who absolutely refuses to assist with getting Bag back. In view of frustration and a lessening timeframe to achieve his goal, Charles is now obligated to look at himself, his choices, and where his real intentions lie.
Next, my Mind:
With a deft, intelligent, tongue-in-cheek demeanor that cannot be ignored, writer/co-director/co-producer Nicholas Iorio’s 10-minute short film drama exudes a slow burn, thinking man’s approach in presenting its narrative to the viewer, one that honestly takes some intentional focus to catch the intricacies and nuances of what’s transpiring. Of course, this is by no means a bad thing, as having to really sit and take in the material being delivered is a refreshing change of pace when so often films can fill the entertainment quotient but have no brain whatsoever. The cinematography here is smoothly executed, and the set pieces remain simple and straightforward, which only allows more room for the characters and plot lines to dominate the proceedings as they should. Bravo, guys!
Agish delivers a wonderful performance as primary protagonist Charles, a man truly caught between a rock and a hard place when actually being required to face and stand up to the dilemma he’s created by his own infidelity and other poor choices. Watching him vainly attempt to navigate the situation is quite fun, yet there is that point of realization as to what direction he chooses to take things that is, strangely, admirable by the time it occurs. Pavelek’s Felicia is another interesting study in having to confront a decision which affects her life, even if in itself, she really isn’t the one who has to make it. There’s an obvious connection with Charles that she doesn’t want to lose, or at least wants to take advantage of for whatever time they have left, yet her frustration in him asking her what he should do is also evident, and hence creates that certain level of tension between them, which Pavelek does a perfect job enacting.
Add in a hilarious turn by Gentile as Gil, one over-the-top antagonist who the actor gleefully plays to a “T” as someone whose whole goal, it seems anyway, is to cause as much trouble for Charles as possible, while becoming the catalyst for him to face his own mishaps. Supporting performances are also provided by Ryan Burch and Rebecca Paganini. In total, “Charles Haux” is a smart piece of character-based independent film that showcases its drama and subtle wit with purposeful precision.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
