Directed by: Andrew Walsh Written by: Andrew Walsh Genre: Drama, Comedy Length: 23 minutes |
I Miss The War
Andrew Walsh directs this short piece depicting the effects of extreme tragedy within a family. Suicide to be more specific. Today the media is filled with horrendous and sad stories of teenagers taking their own lives. Depression and bullying seem to be feeding a media frenzy, rife with young adults taking their own lives. "I Miss The War" comes at you from a different angle. When a parent commits suicide.
Although taking place many years following the death of their mother, three sisters gather for the yearly celebration of their mothers life. The attempt to remember her is a valiant effort but as we see, questions and pain still remain. Even after all these years. The three sisters could not be more different. An actor, a professional and a free spirit. The ages of these siblings also seem to have impacted the way they handle their grief. With the youngest, Stella (Laura Vine) being the adventurous sort that seems the least affected. As you would imagine, the eldest daughter Charlotte (Sarah Golding) seems to still be influenced the most; letting viewers know in a subtle way that age and maturity play a large factor in how a person deals with grief. The final act was by far the most interesting, as the previous scenes seemed like an extended introduction. It's here we see the various states of grief between Stella, Annie (Hannah Gott) and Charlotte. In a powerful monologue we hear the details of the suicide and how Charlotte was the one who found her. This is where "I Miss The War" racked up it's stars and made everything worth while. I'm not writing that everything prior was bad in any way, just a little long winded. I'm not totally sure if the version of this title I watched was the current, finished copy. The ending felt as if it were cut short, and a few post production audio glitches became a bit of a nuisance. I was also left wondering why there was a four (or so) minute gap of blackness at the end of the film. "I Miss The War" is listed as having a length of 27 minutes, but only ends up being around 23. I'm left wondering if another scene is meant to be at the end? I also had questions regarding the inclusion of the men. I'm left thinking they were filler, to round out, or flesh out the world Andrew Walsh was creating. The acting from these characters was great, along with the portrayal of the sisters, something just felt a little odd. For instance, I never did understand the massive friction between Adrian (James Barr) and Raymond (Kyle Webb) throughout the title. I did understand the awkwardness of the presented situation, but felt as if everything between the men was over the top, with no real reason. Perhaps I missed something? Perhaps not. "I Miss The War" ended up being an interesting glimpse into a painful world. A glimpse of how past griefs can change the people we are to become. Done well for a micro film, and good enough to keep things interesting, Andrew Walsh manages to deliver a solid, entertaining title. |
