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★★★
Directed by: #SteveConnor
Starring: #RobTalbot and #JuliaFlorimo
The internet is fun right? You can Google stuff then use that information to make people think you are smart, you can order anything you want right to your front door without getting of your lazy butt and you can watch all sorts of weird, wild and interesting things on the world of webcams. Have you ever wondered what other people do with their time on the internet? What kind if freaky stuff do they indulge in? And how many people are watching it too?
This is the main drive behind Steve Connor’s #shortfilm Room Mates, the story of a lonely man called Henry (played by Rob Talbot) who decides to order a lady of the internet to engage with him in the real world, helping him to act out one of his desires.
The two engage in a strange warehouse, a neutral meeting ground where they can conduct their affair, a dark and uninviting environment that in all honesty is not the most visually stimulating, rather it feels a tad staged and disconnecting, perhaps this is the idea behind it, as Room Mates is a character-driven piece of cinema.
Julia Florimo who plays Agnetha brings an interesting approach to the role, bossy and dismissive of Henry, we can’t decided whether she really want to be there or not, We are filled with the impression that she has done this all before, or maybe she wants to get home to watch the Masterchef marathon on TV ...don’t we all Agnetha, don’t we all.
Room Mates leads us into a world of mistrust, we are led to believe that this meeting has a sinister edge to it, and you would be a liar if you didn’t make the jump to thinking she was prostitute, and if you didn’t then clearly you are a less perverted person than me...but you would be right.
This tale brings an interesting climax to the strong relationship that has developed between the pair, and without giving too much away, although all the clues are right there for you to guess yourself, the ending is one which brings a pleasant surprise.
This short film is worth a watch, dissecting our expectation as to what occurs between a man and woman when they are alone, when they have developed relationships on the internet, and what we will do to make our desires a reality.
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