A Life, or Two

The story opens with an obsessed, rather unhinged character following and planning a way to infiltrate a man’s life. We come to meet both of these characters, Guy (Lewis Dixon) and Bruno (Alex Moeser) after bumping into each other at a pub as Bruno slowly unveils his sinister intentions.

Based off of the novel ‘Strangers on a Train’ by Patricia Highsmith. The first focus is on Guy and how his life is falling apart at the seams. He is juggling his career, a divorce, and a new lover whilst his life is thrown into the spotlight in the headlines.

Bruno happens to ‘overhear’ his phone conversation with his lover Anne (Leila Ballentyne). He invites himself to the table and starts his manipulation tactics, referring back to his rehearsed lines at the beginning of the film. He’s got Guy in an intimate setting, a space that is more secluded and starts his confessional. Constantly probing at Guy’s life and his decisions, at first Guy is apprehensive. We see him faced with endless phone calls and even showing a more aggressive temperament towards his wife, Miriam (Marcela Marin Dapelo). This is a great device used to show Guy’s distress, poor decision making and how his interactions differ with each character throughout.

Guy stays at the table with Bruno even after everything he’s said. Bruno plies him with drink and acts like they have a bond. We see how manipulation and compliance can alter a person’s moral compass and decisions. Bruno appears to be a sociopathic character that knows what to say and how to say it, and Guy is his target to puppeteer. We get to the film’s climax, Bruno’s monologue is enhanced with the orchestral score that gets louder as Guy is actually thinking the idea through. The last sequence is Guy descending the staircase for the final time, creating the ultimate sense of dread, leaving the viewer thinking about the repercussions even after the credits roll.

This works well as a short film, a decisive adaptation of the original novel. It uses two different walks of life and how we see a predator going after it's prey, especially shown through over-the-shoulder shots. The lighting creates a stark contrast from ominous tones at the beginning to the warm, inviting tones of the pub as Bruno carries out his manipulation, offering a friendly ear.

While the film is set between two characters, it could have potentially utilised the space they filmed in more and evoked more emotion through the actors’ performances and editing. There is only so much you can accomplish in shorter films; however, seeing more of Bruno’s backstory would have been interesting to really delve into the psyche of the character and how increasingly dangerous he is.

Overall, it is an impactful adaptation with some great cinematography and lighting choices. It draws you in with Bruno’s introduction and the anticipation of what’s to unfold, as Bruno states things like ‘you took action and I like that’ and ‘you’re one of the few in life that do things’. We see two characters fighting demons in different ways and the extent one is willing to go to.