Flesh and Blood
Critic:
Jason Knight
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Posted on:
Oct 10, 2024

Directed by:
Emma Gilchrist
Written by:
Grant Scullion
Starring:
Luke Aquilina, Ian Plunkett
A youth lives with his alcoholic father and engages in illegal activities in order to make ends meet.
Based on the story Santa's Helper by John Nicholson, this ten-minute short has a narrative that is sort of separated into two parts, as approximately the first half is pretty much a crime thriller and the rest is more or less a family drama.
The plot revolves around Peter (Aquilina), a youngster who lives with his father (Plunkett). Unfortunately, things are not good as they are facing financial problems, his dad has a drinking problem, and it seems that Peter is the one who needs to make money. However, it is evident that he does not do it legitimately and it involves him receiving text messages with instructions and going out at night-time and picking up a bag with unknown content and delivering it to the appointed location, where he receives cash. One night, due to complications, he is forced to take the bag home instead and his associates proceed to send him angry messages, demanding to know what is going on. The next morning, Peter has breakfast with his father, while trying to hide the pressure and dread that he is going through.
A broken household, an alcoholic parent, a young man who turns to crime. This is a hard-hitting story that combines crime with family drama. As mentioned, the first half concerns Peter's illegal actions, revealing the routine he repeatedly follows in order to get cash. The second half takes place in his house, in the kitchen, where his father insists on cooking breakfast for them. This part of the film explores their unstable relationship, revealing a troubled past, with Peter's mother leaving and the pain that this has caused Peter, along with his dad's drinking.
The opening has interesting camerawork that involves a tracking shot that moves around the interior of the protagonists' home, going up a staircase, through a hall and into the kitchen. The creative way that this long take was executed deserves commendations.
Staying with the technical side of things, Ross Hughes does a good job with the editing that includes fast cutting and the ominous score contributes in creating a dark atmosphere.
This is a father-and-son story. It is a dark film that looks into crime and family issues. With strong performances by the two leads and a dramatic screenplay, this short works well as a crime thriller and as a family drama.