Baroness

A lonely and troubled middle-aged man struggles to deal with his issues until a chance encounter with a stranger changes things.

George (Millar) spends a great deal of time at a pub, drinking. He appears to be sad and quiet. From time to time, a young woman keeps coming to the front of the building and looking in, then leaving. One night, George accidentally stumbles upon the unknown woman while walking on a street and the two of them end up building a rapport between them.

This moving short story focuses on the life of an individual who is going through bad times. The first half or so explores how George spends his time at the same pub, having a drink and being silent, not speaking at all. Although it is rather clear that he has troubles, the bartender (Holt) does not comfort him, instead he just asks him if he wants another drink and even treats him with disrespect. The narrative goes through three days of George at the pub, Monday, Wednesday and finally Saturday, all of which are announced. The part of the film that takes place in the pub is pretty much quiet and reveals George's emotional pain and isolation. The atmosphere becomes more upbeat after George meets the young woman, whose name turns out to be Elena (Koziol). She too has her own problems and the two of them are sympathetic towards each other and end up assisting one another with their issues.

Millar is emotional and leads the film very well as a lonely and sad person, whose only way of escape from his worries seems to be the drink. Koziol is also dramatic as a kind-hearted individual, whose appearance turns out to be significant in George's life, as he is heard speaking for the first time when he meets her and his interaction with her gives him the confidence he needs to deal with his problems.

Director of photography Scott Remy delivers wonderful cinematography and there are parts where the image appears as home video footage and provides an insight into George's past. Composer Steve Matthew Carter develops a dramatic score that creates a powerful atmosphere.

This film is a character study. It is about a person who is in a bad situation and then finds hope. It reveals how significantly a complete stranger can influence someone's life and points out the importance of reconciliation and having somebody for support.