WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
A settled life. It’s what we all long for. Having the blessing of family, work, a home, a chance to grow up and enjoy the sense of accomplishment gained from years of striving to provide for oneself and those closest. Joe (Benedict Cumberbatch) has all of this in spades. Waking to his wife Jean (Natalie Press) and young son (Dylan Byrne), a new day begins as he leaves his residence. Stopping at an appointment with his physician (Bijan Daneshmand), Joe’s life takes a drastic turn.
Angered and distraught, a phone call ensues to a drifter, Charlie (also Cumberbatch), whose own life is far from stable, caught in a homeless state and even bigger debt thanks to a clinging gambling habit which gets him in deep with the wrong people. After a hesitant and tense conversation over the phone, Joe arranges for Charlie to meet his estranged counterpart at a local diner, where the revealing of Joe’s diagnosis causes an unexpected deal to be set in motion. Suddenly, as one man’s life is falling apart, another’s is given an usual chance at redemption.
Next, my Mind:
Director/co-producer Nick White, in tandem with writer Matthew James Wilkinson, present a 12-minute short film effort that is equally intelligent, poignant, and vividly evocative in a narrative showcasing both the implications of second chances being offered while setting into motion the as yet unseen consequences of a well-intentioned but desperate decision. Clean and well edited cinematography follows the events unfolding with precision and smooth angles, highlighting the plan being enacted by the two men, while the finale puts a compelling exclamation point on the proceedings.
In his dual role as decidedly different characters who soon swap circumstances, Cumberbatch is as he always is–superb. His highly nuanced acting style and emotive expressions communicate to the audience almost everything that is needed to follow the plotline, without hardly any actual dialogue in play, and it is just simply excellent. Press plays Jane perfectly as the doting, devoted spouse whose sudden realization about the results of one situation makes what she isn’t actually aware of that much more potent for the viewer. Appearances by Byrne, Daneshmand, J.D. Kelleher, and Richard Shanks are made as well.
In total, “Inseparable” certainly gets acknowledgement and merit alone based on the presence of Cumberbatch and Press, but also makes a profound statement that makes us stop and question–what would we do if the chances portrayed were given to us?
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
