Thoughts & Prayers

Thoughts & Prayers is a dark comedy short written and directed by Tim Nathan. The film follows protagonist T, played by Jackson Gallagher, as he grapples with the turmoil of adulthood during the cost-of-living crisis.

The film begins with T running on a treadmill in his living room before two license inspectors take his furniture, smack his bum and offer him lottery tickets after stating his file is overdue. Despite the narrative being surreal and out of the ordinary, the struggles of the main character are recognisable to the audience, with the film commenting on an ever-changing and confusing world for adults.

Another notable scene, which further adds to the comedic chaos of the narrative, visualises T in a class of people practising what looks to be social media dance trends, each of them in front of a ring light which holds their phone. Upon reflection, this scene may provoke thoughts about the pressure of portraying ourselves perfectly online in a world that is becoming increasingly more digital. The disarray of this scene, along with catchy, upbeat music, is deeply engaging and offers a look at how these secondary characters move like one and seem to have lost their individualism.

The scene that succeeds follows the same trajectory, making light of the often absurd and hard-to-navigate world of online dating. On the beach, we see T sitting across from his date, who appears to be engaged with the work on her laptop. When he begins making conversation, she pauses his interruption, explaining that she needs to focus on her tasks. When T continues, she fakes a coughing fit to garner his attention, a potential distraction to his plans to move away. When the two lean in to kiss, a nearby policeman who seems to only be present to man the date tells them to move apart.

When he arrives home, he is welcomed by letters stacked on his door notifying him of further item removal. He then begins running on the treadmill in an almost empty room full of more letters, inferring that he is drowning in paperwork. This bookend technique rounds off the story perfectly, allowing audiences to ponder how quickly things can become out of your control in today’s society.

Visually, the lighting in the first scene of T running is brighter and warmer, before shifting to a cold and dark room towards the end. This emphasises T’s despair and worry, something that many audiences can relate to. Another interesting element is the recurring image of a strange, thick black liquid that enters many already disorderly scenes. This visualisation may be used to confuse audiences more, mirroring T’s feelings, whilst highlighting scenes of importance.

Overall, this film is beautiful and created with high production value. The performances are strong, paired with a unique and highly engaging script. The film offers insight into the experience of the director and a difficult world that many adults can connect with. My only criticism would be that, without reading the director’s statement, would its aim to underline nonsensical systems in place for adults be understood?