NO TRAILER CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
First, the Recap:
How we see ourselves becomes so imperative to living day to day, engaging in the actions we take and the ramifications that follow, whether finding successes or consequences. When we find that certain choices have been made that bring uninvited criticism upon us, however, how we then choose to respond can become a lot less clear, potentially even drastic. For one young woman named Ellie (Amy Radloff), it is a beautiful morning, awaking from a peaceful sleep next to the man (Wade Thalberg) she loves. Playfully inquiring if he is awake, she reminisces about an apparent fight they had the previous night, wanting forgiveness and for them to move on.
Yet, Ellie’s attitude takes a turn for the worse, as she suddenly begins to lament the fact that she’s possibly erred in pursuing what is now realized as an ongoing tryst with this man whom has already committed to another woman (Rebekah DeWild). Chiding him for his harsh attitudes towards what he feels is her unstable mental state, Ellie assures him she’s already visiting a counselor to aid her in maintaining a saner state of being, having been advised to cut loose of the affair, confident she’s been making a lot of progress in seeing herself in a less self-critical light. The only question remains, though–will Ellie take her counselor’s advice a little to far?
Next, my Mind:
It still continues to impact me as a film critic when I can marvel at what chances there are that a quality and entertaining narrative can be presented in under 3 minutes. But, once again, the ongoing, prolific beauty of indie film and their creators shines forth by doing just that though this new effort from writer/director/producer Mikeal Burgin. Choosing to tackle a very real issue in the fight many a person has with entertaining a low opinion of themselves but then placing it into the realm of dark dramedy, Burgin’s story wastes no time in introducing the viewer to a scenario that seems so overtly pristine, calm, and mildly comedic between a couple waking up to face a new day. However, the reality of events then proceeds to slowly build and build until the film’s rather jarring finale that puts an all-too-disturbing yet strangely humorous exclamation point on the proceedings, executed through a solid combination of well-written dialogue and uncomplicated but clever cinematography. The thing is, the film is by no means designed to make fun of low self esteem or those who truly do suffer from it. Rather, it does paint a, granted edgy, image of the depth it can affect someone, how it can guide their choices, and how exactly facing it could be handled in a grand sense of things, even if what is presented in the film might be a tad extreme. Still, one can honestly hope that this type of story would garner interest and awareness when it comes to aiding people with low self esteem while providing this short burst of thriller-infused drama to enjoy for what it is. It is the power of film as a medium of communication, a deliverer of messages to the masses, that makes even a brief effort like this so wonderful to witness and be engaged by.
Radloff must have very much gotten some form of total glee out of her role as Ellie, a perfectly beautiful, “girl-next-door” woman who seems so carefree and happy. Yet, beneath the surface, and then decidedly ON the surface, there is revealed an inner conflict and highly self-critical view of herself that is more than evidently damaging to herself and potentially others. Caught in an illicit affair that’s enough stress as it is, Ellie’s plea to her lover that she’s seeking help for what he’s already seen as her crazy behavior has only sowed the seeds of doubt in her mind, hence choosing to take the advice of her shrink and call off the dalliances. Of course, how she might go about this and it being the best path to follow might be construed as a bit overboard, but hey, when you’re screwed, you’re screwed, in more ways than one. The devilish and eerie demeanor by which Ellie works out the situation in the couple’s bedroom is pure magic, and Radloff totally nails it with flare and believability.
Thalberg likewise fulfills his role well as the man, Ellie’s lover and the one truly not helping the situation by cheating on his actual girlfriend. Yet, he has moved forward with the liaisons despite, we would like to think, knowing better. What price he will pay for it all is left to the unfolding tale before us as the viewer, and as such, Thalberg performs the part with a rather–subdued–performance. DeWild gets but a moment of overall screen time here as the real woman in the man’s life, or so she believed. Her entrance to the series of events is perfectly timed and puts quite a cap on things, even as she’s faced with the actuality of what her man has been up to. So, in total, with its quick-paced, abbreviated timeframe, darkly humorous tone, and real-world feel, “Low Self Esteem” provides plenty of short film fun and perhaps sobering reality checks for anyone foolish enough to get involved with someone else’s man and or cheat on one’s girlfriend. Now, please excuse me while I grab a drink, a Screwdriver sounds good, and go watch “Fatal Attraction”.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Speechless! So glad you enjoyed it, Kirk! Thank you for such a detailed and comprehensive review!
Permalink