Review Draft 1

The Absence of Life

Plot

Marc (Hurley) is alone after the death of his older brother, looking onto the faded line between reality and his memories. As the short film moves on the grief fuelled memories become realistic hallucinations; making it near impossible to tell reality from the illusions of his past.

Review

Being one of Callum Hurley’s first off stage performance he really pushes his acting ability with the grief stricken Marc as he comes to terms with his older siblings death. ‘The Absence of Life’ is set during a day sometime after his brother’s demise where Marc is struggling to tell the difference between reality and fantasy as he remembers his brother. A major contribution to this isolated feeling is the cinematography, using close ups and depth of field to create the atmosphere felt in the film. This visual style coupled with the original score by Wimble makes the atmosphere consistent throughout.  It is very clear that the flashbacks are filmed in a natural setting as the younger versions of Marc and his late brother are playing like children play, which hits home that emotional connection. The story slowly builds to the suggested ending, allowing the audience to know what happened to the older brother.

Verdict

The short film is well shot, acted and written; allowing Hurley to flaunt his acting range, using subtle tears to leave the audience feeling emotional. Making the film an all-around decent film and worth the watch. 

I am going to change some of the wording, and put it into a format that is usually seen within professional reviews, using images from the film and posters.