WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Echoes of misdeeds and regret. Regardless of how much we might, at least initially, try to cast aside those decisions we made that weren’t remotely in our best interest, or anyone else’s, and hence having had to pay the price for them, can we manage to at least put on the brave face and not allow the past to haunt us to our continued detriment? We may even think that we HAVE done precisely this, moving on, and re-establishing life as it should be. And yet….have we REALLY? Liz (Alexandra Renzo) is a women in dire need of a job. Having found what she believes will be a solid fit, she meets with the business’ manager Justine (Kya Brickhouse) for an interview. However, what will occur when the aforementioned specter OF the past rears up, threatening to disrupt everything Liz wishes to accomplish in simply pushing forward?
Next, my Mind:
As if it cannot be said enough, and trust me, this critic has said it countless times over the years, the world of indie cinema excels at presenting us with stories that ascend beyond just baseline entertainment (not a THING wrong with that, just to clarify) and instead speak to us, PEOPLE, and the human condition in all its myriad of forms, with straightforward execution and evident, purposeful heart. This has been my experience overall anyway, and it is exactly what comes across through this 12-minute short film from writer/director/producer/editor Alec Brown along with producers Alexandra Renzo and Ashley Watson that concisely encapsulates the very nature of our fallibility, the potential cost of it, the ensuing aftermath, and how it can continue to follow us as we try to seek personal redemption, often being at the mercy of disclosure and what impact it might entail. For me, it’s these types of, truthfully, real world-centric messages that we NEED more of, not to make us feel guilt or shame over the ways we’ve made errors in choice, but rather to encourage us to THINK about the poorer actions we DO take and try to AVOID them.
Here, the narrative addresses this plight through the eyes of a woman who’s had to stand up to a decision made that a price was indeed paid for, but then in looking for the next, fresh start from it all that she is, the ghosts of the circumstances that landed her in trouble begin to come to life again, a possible derailment of what she desires looming ahead. It’s the sheer rawness of being IN this position that is amplified so adeptly throughout the film, even when the core intent is at first ascertained by conjecture, subtle yet still conspcious enough, until further details are directly divulged. I feel it reverberates deeply with anyone who knows what it is like to have had the dreams of new beginnings coming out of difficulty being dashed, with the subsequent sense of defeat, disappointment, frustration, and loss of hope which accompanies it manifesting quickly and even jarringly, causing us to question everything we are, much less our image in the eyes of others. The film invites us right into the nucleus of this with deft emotional resonance, even as things seem they might turn around, it’s a portrait that it is never a sure thing when truth comes out.
To piggyback on this primary foundational “what we are wishing to escape/be free from in our past” leaning, the film also addresses other thematic turns associated with job hunting, mostly utilizing uncomplicated, persuasive dramatic potency, yet also injecting a smattering of wry humor when it comes to the pressures of preparing for the search, finding that seemingly “perfect fit”, filling out the appropriate forms, interviewing, being in competition with other candidates, trying to be confident in “selling” ourselves, and having to trust in another’s choice, forgiveness, plus other facets of the process all get screen time, but never in undue or melodramatic ways. Rather, it is that fully grounded, wholly believable approach that indie film also excels at with consistency, bringing this narrative home with an emphatically relatable and stirring resolve, with an ultimate finale being worked towards that could yield either happiness or melancholy. Folks, we’d be lying to ourselves if we believe life is always smooth, as much as we WISH it was, but the feasibility, and for that matter reality, of what is given to us through this film should make it one to ponder afterwards.
Having recently come off being completely, charmingly enthralled by my first immersion into Renzo’s acting skills via her excellently affecting performance in the indie feature film “Queen of Knives” (reviewed here), which actually came AFTER the official release of THIS short back in 2023, my second exposure to her, despite it being far shorter in length, delivered precisely what I would have expected. This time, Renzo exercises a different magnitude of focused intensity and emotive strength, understated but still unquestionably dynamic through her title role as Liz, a woman simply chasing a new existence after having had to answer for a now-checkered past she only wants to put aside and forget. But, in her efforts to get back to working, what would seem to be a slam dunk falters when a specific inquiry during the interview she’s having dredges up a bygone incident, now coming back to upend her aspirations. As Liz fights to make amends with herself and another individual, will she be able to overcome the weight of it and carry forward, or will it once more bury her entire mentality towards the future?
It’s one of those performances that oozes credibility and conclusively empathy-inducing aptitude when it comes to Liz’ character, and Renzo reflects that same degree of talent that I felt she exuded so wonderfully in “Queen of Knives”, creating a total character we’re one hundred percent rooting for. Primary supporting roles arrive first with Kya Brickhouse as Justine, the manager/owner of the business Liz has chosen to seek employment at who’s initially dubious about her new applicant, and doesn’t make it clear what she thinks even during the interview. I loved the approach Brickhouse took in making the character both endearingly bubbly and delightful yet infused with just a slight “love to hate” manner simmering under the surface when we aren’t sure where she’s coming from when it involves our main protagonist. This is all a testament to Brickhouse’s skills brought to the table here. Robyn Rikoon plays Ashley, a former boss Liz was under at a local establishment who’s less than thrilled to hear a voice she’s rather forget from the past, and now holds Liz’s potential prospects in hand.
I likewise totally admired Rikoon’s performance from the standpoint of how she showcases one attitude the character possesses then morphs into an entirely, drastically different one, with a decisiveness and fervor that so befits the scenario she finds herself in. Finally, Haly Etlantus Shaffer appears as Courtney, another candidate at Justine’s business who’s in direct competition with Liz for the open position. It is through this character that we get the burst of more witty instances, as the character almost satirically represents the kind of person you DON’T initially want to BE up against as she puts forth that “I’m the ideal fit” with everything in “perfect” order and who would seem a shoo-in for the job, much to Liz’s disconcert in the film. It’s just marvelously embodied by Etlantus thanks to her delivery and comedic timing. So, in total, “Liz” demands attention for its forthright and impassioned aura that illustrates the toll attached to lapses in judgment, the willingness to have endured the repercussions, the cautious excitement of moving forward, facing buried regrets, the need for absolution, and needing to forgive ourselves even when new roadblocks arise. It’s about perseverance and acceptance of what cannot be changed tempered with the yearning for better days we strive to see come to pass.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
