This is a Man's World

It’s the middle of the night, and an actress gets into the back of a cab on the way to a party. Everything starts off in a reasonably normal fashion as a chatty cab driver tries to pass the time by making conversation, asking her about her destination, how familiar she is with the area, and what she’s up to tonight. At least, this is all stuff that comes across as reasonably normal, and even pedestrian, to a man. As the story progresses and the driver’s intentions are made clear, we learn that he wasn’t just trying to make conversation previously, but rather that he had far more sinister intentions. This is a Man’s World delivers, if nothing else, an important message about how much more danger exists in the world for women.

Shot in one take and with a single camera, we’re focused on our lead, played by Lida Kheylnezhad, as she reacts to the actions of the cab driver from start to finish. Visually, it’s reminiscent of films like Locke and Collateral, with its only lighting coming from street lights outside of the vehicle. Sometimes it’s difficult to make out facial expressions because of that, but in a way that adds to the tension of it all. As we look to our central character for guidance on how to feel about the situation that she’s in, it isn’t always immediately available. This creates a sense of unease and confusion which is entirely appropriate.

Where This is a Man’s World perhaps lacks a little is that the whole experience of the encounter is the conversation in the back of the cab and what comes from it, which tends to be resolved fairly quickly. There is no big flourish and the drama comes to a peak before quickly deflating quickly. It does leave us with a reason for reflection and a slice of an experience that not everyone will be privy to, but it would have elevated the impact of the film if it were to leave us with more of a bang than a whimper.

It’s very effective in creating a sense of fear and a reason for apprehension, and from that potentially comes an understanding from the audience which has a chance to make a difference. What could be quite a difficult watch for all its subtleties for someone who’s been in a similar situation before, could be quite an enlightening watch for someone who hasn’t. The dialogue is clever and meaningful in creating space for reflection in just what can be interpreted as menacing for good reason, but that just wouldn’t be considered by most without that first-hand experience.

This is a Man’s World works in a number of ways, but it could have gone a lot further. In a way, it even feels like a first draft, but certainly the first draft of something with the potential to become quite special.