WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Come on, you have to admit it—you just adore the concept of being super talented at your job, with no one questioning your abilities, always presenting the highest quality of results, and being lauded by management for your work ethic and prowess. It’s a great feeling, accompanied by the overwhelming sense of being valued, irreplaceable, a credit to your chosen field. A winner. So it would seem on the surface, even if by initial conjecture, for one acutely skilled graphic designer (Julia Langholt), having been tasked with, for her, the simplest of duties–creating a PowerPoint presentation for her manager (Dallas White). Of course, when seeing things from the perspective of said designer through her utterly unnerved testimony of the situation to the police detective (Monica Haynes) sitting across from her at the time, it appears that everything was not precisely on point, or above board, with her efforts.
Next, my Mind:
Social commentary and comedy. Two facets found quite abundantly in the arena of filmmaking, especially more so within the indie realms where making a statement while still delivering absolute entertainment can be key to a successful project. With short film, it is even more imperative that what gets presented captures the viewer’s attention and keeps them engaged throughout while managing to provide a narrative that is full, intelligent, relevant, and relatable. All of this and more is offered through the 10-minute effort from writer/director/executive producer Andrew Broadhurst and executive producers Jeremy Blackwell, Owen Palmiotti, Amanda Powers, Brendan R. Powers, Michael Watts, and Dallas White, filled with total hilarity and beautifully accessible themes which perfectly befit today’s tech-obsessed culture, for good or ill.
It could be seen as both a scathing diatribe against how much we rely on tech, its look, its functionality, and in some minor ways even those whose career it is to make it all happen while likewise portraying a gorgeously satirical stab at office politics and the gifted workers forced to navigate the perils of managers who believe they truly know best at the cost of those underlings on the receiving end of their diabolical and unreasonable whims. Honestly, no matter how you wish to interpret the underlying and foundational themes being explored here, it’s ALL played for laughs, and as hinted at above, those are found aplenty in the abbreviated runtime the story unfolds within. It’s over-the-top and exaggerated for the sake of said joviality, but yet it isn’t TOO overblown so as to lose the appreciation for everything being made fun of.
The film utilizes a wonderfully executed visual style that, while straightforward on the surface, really finds a way to embrace the characters and each scene to an extent that very much plays up the humorous atmosphere consistently, even when certain moments are enacted with an intentional level of “seriousness”. This added to the sporadic but oh-so-timely use of sound effects during specific sequences really does generate such an enjoyable experience for the viewer overall, even as we sit there and nod our heads at exactly how accurate the grander narrative’s essence actually is when it comes to just how ridiculous real-life supervisors and/or managers CAN be given the right circumstances and business ventures involved, concerned for their own insane notions of what’s right while not listening at all to the real experts in the room as is addressed so amusingly here.
Like another particular character actor, Timothy J. Cox, that I adore to death for his consistently demonstrated ability to adapt and bring out the most of any character type he chooses to engage with, White is indisputably a like actor for this critic, here taking on the role of the Manager, a one hundred percent arrogant know-it-all who more than showcases examples of his actual ignorance in putting a poor graphic designer though hell by breaking every conceivable design rule and then some while having her put together his beloved PowerPoint required for an upcoming presentation. His outrageous attitude, physical mannerisms, conceited tone, and all-around annoying persona is a complete riot from start to finish, and White masterfully nails the nuances of this character’s demeanor and hysterical flaws with such absolute precision so as to elicit all the intended laughs it engenders. A magnificent performance and an ongoing tribute to the actor who is more than one to watch as opportunities continue on in the filmmaking world for him.
But, this is not to ignore the performances from White’s co-stars. Langholt brings an equally admirable turn to bear in her role as the Designer, a young woman of exceptional ability in her chosen profession who more than understands and wishes to implement the knowledge she possesses to fashion the perfect PowerPoint presentation for her manager–until he unceremoniously squashes everything and sends her reeling on a journey of ever-building (though totally uproariously priceless) agitation at his antics. Langholt enacts this frustration in her character with control and poise, allowing us to feel and believe every painful moment, leading to an inevitable finale. Haynes also adds a smart, purposefully understated turn as the Detective who is assigned to hear out the Designer’s tale of woe and piece together what transpired so as to solve the case she’s facing, even when trying to ascertain how the crazy events that occurred actually, well, occurred in the manner they did. It’s a role played seriously, yet it is that which makes it funny, depicted strongly by Haynes.
An additional appearance is also made by Jeremy Blackwell as one of the manager’s neighbors who might have seen and/or heard more than he wishes during the proceedings. In total, “Death By PowerPoint” is truthfully a statement of the time, exhibiting the contemporary workplace and the wonderful curse that is technology with a comedic deftness that should speak to so many of us who’ve confronted real-world examples of managerial audacity. Learn from this, my young Padawans, and beware of the Dark Side of MS Office.
As always, this is all for you consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
