WATCH THE TRAILERS HERE & HERE
First, the Recap:
Maintaining the conventions of society. With the days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, and millenniums passing by, we as human beings always manage to create new social, behavioral, and cultural paradigms that at least attempt to govern our lives, even to the point to still putting specific expectations on each gender, man vs. woman. However, do we not know that there will always be those who simply buck the trend, forgoing “etiquette”, and confidently, unapologetically stand out.
So it is with a young woman (Amy Doyle) from South East London. She has strong opinions– not just about being who she is, but also in doing whatever she pleases, much of which seriously flies in the face of contemporary “standards”. An ardent supporter of the 90’s “ladette” subculture, Lady sheds light on the movement’s creation, its effects on women, the stir it caused, the opportunities it opened, and the fun that was had, all with the knowledge that due to it, she herself could be a prim, proper lady. Or not.
Next, my Mind:
In the span of its wonderfully brief, smartly executed, and quite witty six minute runtime, writer/director/executive producer Will Nash’s indie short film effort is part drama, part reality show, part history lesson, and all fun. It very quickly becomes an exercise in comedically irreverent satire while also shifting a revealing and sobering light on the status of society and its faults, all neatly managed through the eyes of the single character focus and rather avant-garde cinematography with its Kodak Super 8mm delivery, whose fuzzy imagery honestly enhances the whole viewing experience via an old “analog” feel in this digital age.
The use of multiple settings from which the lead character addresses us one on one is highly effective here, allowing the viewer that sense of direct engagement with the narrative, rather than being a witness to events only. Additionally, this isn’t a female empowerment message just for the sake of it, but rather a necessary vehicle to illustrate greater points about the state of affairs in this world and how it remains true that women still fight to be seen as equal to men, even while accomplishing many amazing things, and sometimes just desiring to do anything that men do and it is acceptable, hence the “ladette” themed direction provided here.
Doyle is most certainly an absolute hoot from start to finish in her portrayal of Lady, an everywoman whose more than ready to take on each day and night with vim, vigor, and a no-nonsense, no-holds-barred, in-your-face, sassy “ladette” approach to life so it is made unabashedly clear that she’s totally confident in who she is and that much of society’s limits placed on women compared to men is total **bleep**. Lady could be anything she wants, if conformity was on the plate. Instead, it’s drinking, swearing, eating, and general rabblerousing that drives this woman. If you don’t like that she’s not your “typical” woman, well it’s made even more abundantly clear how Lady feels about that in the film’s humorously abrupt finale. Through all the excesses and attitudes presented, Doyle navigates it with an intentionally brazen poise, conviction, and all-out entertaining demeanor that wins you over.
A supporting turn is had by Matthew Castle as Lady’s boy toy Derek, whom we can just tell is most likely in over his head with this spitfire of a free-thinking, free-spirited woman. In total, with its non-intrusive smattering of colorful language and overtly purposeful social statement enacted with biting hilarity, “Lady” is a worthy indie short film offering to take a gander at for some ultimately light-hearted lessons in how we do need to consider the truths being ushered forth here while being fully delighted to boot.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
