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First, the Recap:
Where does this leave us? Or even more specifically–me? A query we can associate with a potentially looming break-up after a heated argument with one we love as opposed to JUST ourselves in a time of struggle, it actually becomes applicable when seen through the eyes of other forms of personal, inward anguish we might face. Attempting to determine what road we should then embark on to find solace and purpose, there still seems little to be done when consolation IS what’s needed the most. A man (Christopher Orangeo) ponders his future with a saddened, perhaps even apathetic, state of mind while finding himself devoid of someone special’s presence, now taken from him. But even as his conversation with himself turns into a more precious but still painful dialogue, will it manage to be enough to shake him out of the doldrums he’s experiencing in order to seek the comfort of fond memory and family?
Next, my Mind:
Over these many years now of covering all levels of indie cinema from around the world and right here in the good ole USA, a fact that remains firm in both this arena and all the way up to mainstream efforts is the exploration of certain themes being common or repeated quite prolifically. Now, we can easily argue that WITH all the films being made, it is monumentally hard NOT to encounter a large number of projects that share similar stories and the direction they’re presenting to us. Mind you, this isn’t a BAD thing, because it’s when the TRUE creative/artistic process must then come to the forefront in order to showcase, even if just in minor ways, SOME kind of fresh approach that allows a given tale to stand out, unique, impactful, and original enough to at least provide that alteration to “the norm”. This critic is happy to report that the newest short film from director/producer/cinematographer Andrew Froening and writer/producer/editor Christopher Orangeo accomplished precisely that, at least based on films I’ve seen over time.
Beautifully uncomplicated in its delivery yet carrying an unequivocally large, deeply emotionally-charged stick that truly hits home to a very intimate degree, the narrative we’re witness to that sees a man trying to ascertain how life will move forward in the wake of a tragic, perhaps even unexpected, loss utilizes a simple but smartly conceived visual process that draws us in and makes your perspective about the events being depicted unfold in your mind one particular way, that “oh, I can already tell what’s going on” sense of understanding. However, it is this supposition that allows for the intelligently written and executed dialogue to guide you through while in this mindset only to ultimately reveal something totally different, doing so in a manner that aids in emphasizing the potent thematic notions of mourning, holding on to the turmoil inside, letting go, pressing into those who are there for us, reconciling the reality of things, and choosing to move forward while never forgetting or losing the recollections that DO end up bringing us both closure and peace.
The film resonated with me on a very personal level as well, and this is also a hallmark of quality indie efforts–total relatability. Plus, the themes as listed above are ones that we should really never tire of seeing exhibited through the medium of the screen, big or little, in that during a time in our world where strife seems to be king, we are in NEED of something that reminds us we’re NOT alone in our troubles, that we NEED to seek out the means to resolve that which tries to keep dragging us down (even in spite of a situation that is understandably sorrowful as portrayed here), and to then choose to acknowledge THAT letting something or someone go is NOT forgetting it or them at ALL, but rather a prompting inside our very being to treasure what we continue to harken back to. It’s about gaining the appropriate outlook, the frame of reference, about our situation and grasping tight to it so we CAN find the path ahead once more. The piano-centric music score offered here, just as straightforward as the narrative, adds a stirring and apropos atmosphere to events as well.
Having recently come off seeing Orangeo in director Joseph Pupello’s drama “Dress Code” where he played a mob enforcer, it was a decidedly drastic shift for the actor to tone down the tough guy act and instead plumb the well of a varied form of quietly simmering emotional intensity while also being much more understated overall through his role as the man we see who’s fighting through a sea of inner tumult due to a recent loss and the collision of everything he’s now immersed in within his mind due to it. Not immediately able to adapt much less conform to accepting what’s happened, the conversation that ensues becomes a catalyst to let a lot of it out, which may or may not then lead him to the internal solitude he so desperately requires. It’s a mix of elements that are as heartbreaking as they are cathartic for him, and Orangeo’s performance infuses the characters with an “everyman” demeanor and wholly believable gravitas that doesn’t at all demand blatantly pronounced or evident gusto, but rather a subtlety that still speaks volumes to the character’s plight.
Primary supporting roles arrive through Alexander Froening as the young boy whose a vital part of the man’s pondering and sense of grief we see, Daniella Macolino as the woman who ultimately appears to be the source of his pain but yet remains as a challenging voice of reason to try and wake him up to actuality and what steps he should embrace to find comfort, and Kassandra Perez as the man’s sister Allie who seems to be one of his only real wellsprings of support that he begins to open up to as the circumstances involved are revealed. And so, in total, “Without” is in many respects indie filmmaking at one of its most basic, stripped down yet completely stable formats, conveying the weight of real life, its trials, and associated obstacles it can create within us while also illustrating that necessary statement about how, in spite of the hurt and confusion we might be experiencing, healing and even profound redemption might only be a conversation away, facing it, dealing with it, and releasing it.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
