WATCH THE FILM HERE
First, the Recap:
The degrees of rationality, of reason, of stability. As we travel throughout our life journey in this world, we experience the sensations around us, taking them in piece by piece, whether consciously or unconsciously, attempting to ascertain the meaning of it all within our thoughts. Even then, we look at those whose demeanor and associated actions would be deemed to be in the realms of madness, of mania, of lunacy, thinking how unsettled and chaotic their world must be. Yet, what if such instability lies within us all? For one young Psychology undergrad (Charlotte Luxford), it only takes the first question on a critical exam to spark a reminiscence contained in her own life occurrences.
Thinking back, the girl recalls being on the London Tube while traveling to her university and witnessing a woman (Stella Willow), whose state of being, actually state of mind, seems less than in the present, but rather caught up speaking to shadows and other people who are not present. But, even as the girl continues to observe the woman’s harried condition, she cannot help but be drawn in, fascinated by such a raw, focused attention on that which isn’t real that this woman seems to be engaged so deeply with. Finding their destinations may be more in parallel than she ever would have expected, the girl comes to a somewhat alarming yet revelatory understanding that this woman’s seemingly frayed sense of reality may not be as uncommon, or as alien, as she first imagined.
Next, my Mind:
With an exquisite, delicate, contemplative, and airy ambiance paired with a very compelling, persuasive, captivating, and wonderfully executed overall presentation, director/screenplay writer/co-producer Cyrus Trafford’s 12-minute short film sends the viewer on a powerfully provocative passage into the minds of two different people whose lives intersect in many more ways than one. Despite the literal differences in age and relative emotional and mental states of being on the surface, the girl’s immersion into scrutinizing the discomposed, troubled soul she encounters only serves to become an uncloaking of her own mind and the order, or disorder, it has, even if the magnitudes of what she is experiencing may not be to the level she’s witnessed. Despite this, it becomes a very satisfying awakening in the girl, as it’s a potent realization of how, perhaps, we all walk in a realm of not truly appreciating the concepts of sanity vs. insanity, or at least what truly defines them. Add in the fantastically atmospheric, affecting music score to this whole encompassing excursion, and this is one surreal yet highly fulfilling view.
Luxford is a marvel here as The Girl, delivering a first-class, nuanced performance that is filled with both an almost haunting beauty while exuding a keenly understated but still emotionally intense aura that very much enhances the impactful themes being explored here. The Girl’s own appreciation and cognizance of who she is becomes the gist of the tale, even as her comprehension and notions of what sanity and insanity might really mean are brought to light. Putting this consideration in the context of flashbacks as The Girl is writing her exam paper is deftly done, and Luxford just shines so bright, creating this based-on-a-true-story character realistically and with conviction. Willow is also extremely effective here as the Crazy Woman who unwittingly becomes the object of The Girl’s analysis starting on the London Tube and then beyond. Caught in her own unstrung, erratic, yet still purposeful ramblings, it paints the portrait of what we would normally view as “insane”. But it is this exact notion that the film aims to challenge, and therefore puts a decidedly different, intriguing twist on events as they unfold. Again, well played by Willow.
Supporting turns arrive from James Allen and Lisa Kay, the latter of whom makes a very crucial appearance beyond her initial scene that adds an even bigger significance to the proceedings. In total, “The Voice In The Head” takes the entire perception of how we look at sane vs. insane and infuses it with a fresh, stimulating jolt of originality that will leave an impression on you well after watching. After all, could there not be the possibility that at least sometimes, when we’re gazing upon someone else’s anxious state, is it just the reflection of ourselves?
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
