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★★★★
Directed by: Cameron Lee Horace
Written by: Cameron Lee Horace, Miles Gibson, Sophie Colquhoun
Starring: Sophie Colquhoun, Joe Snape, Fiona Leishman, Claudia Lindemann, Lisa Ronaghan, Helen Mae Austin
The story of a woman's life that was filled with countless of affairs.
Maisie (Lindemann) is an elderly woman living in a nursing home. She does not speak or interact with others. Instead, she sits in a chair all day. One day, James (Snape), a healthcare professional trainee, arrives and he is assigned to take care of her. While he repeatedly tries to find out if she has any living relatives, a manifestation of her younger self, constantly present throughout the film, reflects on her current situation and her past, a past that involved many infidelities.
Based on unpublished work by novelist Miles Gibson, this short drama explores the life of a woman who wanted to be wild. She wanted to have experiences with numerous men and not settle down, unlike her two sisters. The plot deals with themes of nostalgia, infidelity, romance, growing old and isolation. The tone varies from dramatic to melancholic or humorous.
Colquhoun is entertaining and emotional as an individual who went through a lifetime of no-strings-attached involvements with men who were already taken. She comes across as egocentric, stubborn and sarcastic and is proud of her actions, feeling no regrets. Snape is sympathetic as a likeable, patient and warmhearted individual who attempts to help Maisie. Ronaghan and Austin are great in their supporting roles as the deceased sisters who visit her younger self in the care home and criticize her adulterous, aimless lifestyle.
The majority of the narrative consists of Colquhoun's narration and flashbacks often show sequences of her character's past life, all of which are in black-and-white.
Composer Guy Naden makes a wonderful contribution. The beautiful music includes piano pieces and at times it creates a sad atmosphere.
Credit also goes to the clothing, which gives the impression that it belongs in the forties or fifties, when Maisie was young.
This short film is very well made, acted and written. The plot is intriguing and it is interesting finding out more about the main character and looking into her unconventional past. It offers a journey that is worth embarking on.
Watch The Other Woman in full below:
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