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★★★
Directed by: Linus Ignatius
Written by: Linus Ignatius
Starring: Linus Ignatius, Blake French, Crystal Ward
Mass is a short film written, edited and directed by Linus Ignatius, who also stars in the film. The plot evolves around the life of an insecure gay man.
The film begins by showing the protagonist Trey (Ignatius) as he works out in a gym full of men. He is then seen waking up in his home and feeling his body with his hands. Back in the gym he weighs himself on a weighing scale, and his weight is shown to be 179 lbs. He is then in the training area where he appears to get tired and drops the dumbbell he was lifting, while another man appears to mock him. Later he is sitting in a restaurant, talking on his mobile phone, while eating a hamburger. Opposite him is another man, who is also sitting on a table, eating a hamburger. The two men make eye contact and Trey appears to challenge the man by aggressively devouring his burger until he nearly chokes. Trey then goes to the hospital where a nurse (Crystal Ward) gives him an HIV-related blood test. Back at home, he sits on the couch, in his living room with his dog, using his phone to look through a gay dating site. He spots a man he fancies named Blake (Blake French) and exchanges messages with him in order to meet up. Blake comes to Trey's home, where he proceeds to make aggressive love to Trey, causing him to cry. The final scene shows Trey weighing himself again in the gym and this time the scale shows 180 lbs. Trey appears satisfied. The film ends with a dedication to American performing artist Nashom Wooden.
Mass could be categorized as a gay film. This is obviously due to the fact that the protagonist is a homosexual and that he is seen engaging in homosexual sex. It could also be viewed as a film about self-discovery, as the leading man seems to want to be better, because he appears to be obsessed with his body and compares himself with other people. His obsession with his body is indicated because when he wakes up he checks his body for fat, he works out often and when he finds out that he weighs 180 lbs he is happy and therefore is obsessed with his weight. His tendency to compare himself to others is suggested when he observes other men training inside the gym, who appear to be more than him and in the scene where he meets Blake, he examines his body and asks him if he works out and if he likes protein.
Ignatius's performance is outstanding. In every scene he successfully captures his character's emotions. Particularly in the scene where he is having uncomfortable sex, the close up on his face clearly shows that he is going through great emotional pain. And all the supporting actors deliver very convincing performances.
Ignatius clearly put a lot of passion into this film. Not only is his acting terrific, he also creates beautiful shots and makes very effective use of slow-motion. Mass is a film that deserves praise and recognition.
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