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Family Bond short film review

★★★★

Directed by: Chris Guzzo

Written by: Robert Piserchia, Chris Guzzo

Starring: Jonathan Tierney, Taryn Wieland, Dan Kausch, Mark Montalbano

 
Poster for Family Bond showing protagonists.
Poster for Family Bond

A man searches for his missing wife, with devastating consequences.


Linda (Wieland) disappeared two years ago, leaving her husband John (Tierney) having to raise his two young daughters by himself. Eventually, his brother Rob (Montalbano), who is a private investigator, has managed to track her down and he reveals to his brother that she is now living another life, with another man named Howard (Kausch), a high school teacher. Against Rob's wishes, John sets out to get his wife back.


This short is a dramatic, suspenseful and tense thriller about a rather unusual situation: a woman vanishes from home, where she has a husband and two daughters and now lives with another man, appearing to have no memories of her previous life. Did she ran away? Was she kidnapped? Wieland's character is the one the plot evolves around and trying to figure out what is going on with her is rather interesting.


The clever script contains plot twists and begins as a drama, showing Linda living a seemingly ordinary life with Howard, although their relationship appears a bit unstable. It is then revealed that she is actually a missing person, turning the film into a thriller. The intriguing story grabs the audience's attention and keeps them guessing right until the end.


Keri Toye does an amazing job as the composer, creating music that is dramatic and tense and it accompanies the scenes perfectly.


Editor David Root makes a great contribution, utilizing fast cutting and dissolve techniques effectively. The film also includes well-constructed voice-over, that gives clues about the past relationship between John and Linda.


Makeup artist Jordan Witherspoon deserves special mention for the realistic makeup on a man's injured face.


This thriller is very well made, with convincing acting and has a plot that the viewer will want to follow, right until the heart-stopping ending.

 

Trailer for Family Bond:


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