★★★★ Directed by: JD Roth-Round Written by: Adam Starkey, Leo Bidewell Starring: Leo Bidewell, Adam Starkey Film Review by: Jason Knight Someone is not very happy with somebody else and they intend to do something about it. Shot in black-and-white, this revenge story examines how far a person is willing to go in order to get even. Neil (Bidewell) is in the London Underground, waiting for a train. Once he gets on, he spots a man (Starkey) and appears to have taken an interest in him. He follows him outside the station and through crowded streets, until he approaches him and tells him that he knows he is Bradley. Neil tells him he is a photographer and enquires if he would be interested in a James Bond related photoshoot. Bradley agrees and goes to Neil's apartment. Once there, he is subdued by Neil and handcuffed to a chair, his face painted in a manner that resembles a clown. Neil believes Bradley wronged him and is seeking justice. Most of the narrative of this revenge thriller takes place inside Neil's household and focuses on the confrontation between the two leads. It explores what Bradley did that made Neil so angry and what Neil's intentions are, which do not appear diplomatic. There is great tension as Bradley is helpless and completely under his captor's control, while Neil shouts at him and waves a variety of objects at him, such as a golf club, a bladed tool and a hammer, indicating that he has very bad intentions. He is also wearing a plastic suit. Bidewell is terrifying as a man who wants revenge. He behaves like a madman, shouting, swearing and threatening his captive. His face expressions do a good job in showing his emotions and he reveals his nervousness with his actions, such as by clutching a newspaper or drinking aggressively. He clearly is a person who is ready to explode. Starkey is convincing as man who is succeeding in life and has no regrets. The filmmakers use very creative editing, utilizing split screen and wipe transitions to great effect. The camera is handheld and shakes a great deal throughout the film and there are plenty of closeups. The music provided by Deviance goes well with the story's mood. It is tense and sinister and adds great value. This short has many nail-biting moments and Bidewell's over the top performance as a deranged man should not be missed. This is an achievement worthy of a lot of praise. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: Curtis Vowell Written by: Sophie Henderson Starring: Rose Matafeo, Matthew Lewis, Emily Barclay Film Review by: Chris Olson Baby Done Movie Review A Piki Films production, Baby Done has a similar style to Hunt For The Wilderpeople (2016) - likely because Taika Waititi is an EP on this along with a stellar crew of acting talent. And much like that earlier film, our central character here is on a journey through the wild. Only this time, the destination is parenthood. Rose Matafeo plays Zoe, a badass tree surgeon with a penchant for adrenaline sports. When she finds out she's pregnant, her hopes for competing in the World Tree Climbing competition go timber, or do they? With her largely kept-in-the-dark boyfriend Tim (Matthew Lewis) in toe, the trio (if you include speck, the pair's affectionate name for their foetus), embark on a bucket list before they get the baby and they're done. As each trimester progresses, Zoe seems increasingly unable to accept her maternal fate, edging ever-closer to the airport for one last shot at glory. Baby comedies have a spectrum: you're either in the gross-out area with Seth Rogen outings like Knocked Up and Bad Neighbours, in the middle with something endearing and charming like Juno, or boring as tepid breast milk with Life As We Know It. Baby Done feels like it would share an NCT group with mostly Junos and a stray Seth. There is nothing outlandishly offensive or disgusting here, just an honest portrayal of the anxieties and eccentricities that come when adults face the prospect of becoming parents, and it's darn funny. The swears flow, as they well should, and characters act realistically to the news rather than in a greetings card manner. Matafeo zings with effortless humour in every scene, layering it with stark moments of emotional turmoil and heartache. Lewis is terrific, his character offering the panicky overthinker to Matafeo’s recklessness, and he has a scene-stealing moment with a glitter cannon that nearly made me lactate with laughter. The ensemble of supporting characters are also noteworthy, from a brutally honest antenatal class teacher to a dashing pregnophile (Nic Sampson) who nearly nicks the whole movie! Aside from a structural issue - the end of the film seems to land about two-thirds of the way through - Baby Done is a knockout indie comedy for 2021 and keenly introduces Matafeo as a bold rib-tickler on the silver screen. BABY DONE will be in cinemas, and on digital platforms, from January 22nd 2021 Watch the movie trailer below. #ChrisOlson

★ Directed by: #JamesMcKillop Written by: #JamesMcKillop Starring: #EthanCassidy, #JamesMcKillop, #CaraThompson Film Review by: Cisco Scartozzi With the success of the horror film Host (which still has the coveted 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes), I expected to see more films/TV that took place entirely on Zoom, but Host remains one of the only films of its kind from 2020. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t a shortage of Zoom content, though: there was Josh Gad’s Reunited Apart series that brought entire casts of classic films like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Back to the Future together again, reunion specials from casts of TV shows and movies like Parks and Recreation, Community and Mean Girls, and celebrity table reads for movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Dazed and Confused. So why the disparity between fictional content and nostalgic fanfare? 2020 has been a challenging year, and most people probably don’t want to be reminded that they can’t visit their families and friends in person. Host did a great job of authentically portraying the horror of our social distance over Zoom, and the reunion fundraisers gave people at home much-needed entertainment when movie theaters were closed down. Now the new short film Lights, Camera, Disaster tries to enter its name into the list of Zoom content but cringingly fails to make fun of those dreaded video interactions that we are now all too familiar with. Lights, Camera, Disaster is about two filmmakers trying to rehearse their film's script over Zoom when the lead actress suddenly quits. Then it becomes about them trying to replace her over a series of auditions. Comedy is hard—and even harder to do over video chat—especially when the jokes are mostly about how awkward it is to communicate over Zoom. Examples of this film's childish humor: One woman who auditions for the part (and who very clearly looks like a woman) is told that they are only looking for women for the role. Get it? They're calling her a man! The filmmakers spend one whole audition talking over/interrupting each other for the entire call, which goes on for way too long and is just excruciatingly repetitive and unfunny. There are also two separate scenes of one character talking about the lead actress after she steps away from her camera, only for her to hear everything that was just said about her. Whoops! The main actress flubs one of her lines in more than one scene, and it is still kept in the final cut of the film. Then there’s the hotshot producer who comes in yelling profanities with every line and who sounds like a cheap imitation of a Guy Ritchie villain—not because he’s British—but because he looks like a fresh-faced teen trying to be intimidating. One of the filmmakers later asks if the producer has turrets because of his affinity for the f-word, a tasteless frat joke that was dated 20 years ago. Work meetings and college courses over Zoom are painful enough, but you are better off getting paid or learning something than sitting through this short; it’s offensive and crass humor mixed with its overall mean-spiritedness and bickering makes it difficult to sit through. At one point, I was so bored that I was trying to make out all of the film and TV posters on the wall in one character’s room. Stick with any of the delightful Zoom content that I listed earlier in the review and spare yourself from what felt like a college film project between friends where they constantly shout and swear at each other for fifteen minutes straight. Lights, Camera, Disaster is a disaster indeed.

★★★ Directed by: Robbie Walsh Written by: Robbie Walsh Starring: Kellie Blaise, Patrick Murphy Film Review by: Jason Knight A man and a woman are having a conversation in a coffee shop. It becomes clear that there is more to one of them than meets the eye. Maricruz (Blaise) is working out inside a gym. She then leaves and goes to a coffee shop. A detective (Murphy) is following her. He sits down with her at the coffee shop and they proceed to talk. Things appear innocent at first but it is later revealed that he is suspecting that she is guilty of very serious offences. Shot in black-and-white, this short film starts as a drama and then becomes a thriller. As Maricruz is seen working out, walking outdoors and speaking to the detective, she gives the impression that she is a decent, intelligent individual. However, by the time the ending comes, the viewer's perspective of her has changed dramatically. As he questions her about missing children, she discreetly confesses that she is the one responsible. Blaise delivers a sinister performance as a two-faced woman. Constantly grinning, she is friendly, clever, calm, seductive, manipulative and does not loose her cool. She knows what she is doing is wrong, has no regrets and knows how the world works. She is the personification of evil and steals the show. Murphy is the honest detective who suspects her, is disgusted by her actions and is determined to bring her to justice. There is very strong language, which includes descriptions of sexual acts. The narrative explores themes that involve religion and crimes against children. The editing makes good use of jump cuts and there is an interesting point-of-view shot from the inside of a car. Most of the conversation between Maricruz and the detective was filmed in a long take, during which the camera is stationary. There is beautiful, mesmerizing piano music adds value to the film. Unfortunately it should be pointed out that at certain points the sound is distorted. This project is worthy of recognition. The dialogue is well written, the characters are engaging and the plot will most likely grab the audience's attention. What stands out most is Blaise's character, who she manages to present as a very sinister villain. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: #JoshuaHext Written by: #JoshuaHext Starring: #AnnabelLeventon, #CherylBurniston, #AliMylon Film Review by: Anna Martin This Camera is Broken, a film by Joshua Hext, is a part of the New Creative initiative by Screen South supported by the Arts Council and BBC Arts. It’s one of a collection of over 20 short films available to view under New Creatives on BBC iplayer. At just over 6 minutes long, This Camera is Broken is brief. It invites us to a moment in the life of a director who, whilst working on a film of her life, is triggered by the presence of her younger self – or an actress playing her younger self – to confront something from her past. The film opens as the phone rings: it’s the results. It’s hereditary. The appointment is on Tuesday. The mother replaces the receiver and turns to her daughter, ‘you know my mum was just as hard on me as I am on you. And I thought at the time I hated her.’ But this daughter is wiser than that and does not hate her mother. She is also an actress who is about to fluff her lines. With her expletive the camera pulls back revealing the mechanics of a film set. The director, palm to forehead, is finding this hard and the young actress playing her younger self wants to know if the scene really happened, in real life. The director is not sure if that is important. ‘I’m trying to find truth in it,’ the young actress says. The succeeding conversation between the director and her younger self delves deeper into the interplay between history, truth and memory, asking, what is the difference between remembering and imagining, and does it really matter? Can history repeat itself? And are we destined to become our parents? These are big questions for such a short film, but it works. What would have benefitted from more time on screen is the story itself: here are two (or three, depending on how you look at it) generations to explore with illness, death, love and regret to get into and yet so little time for it. The balm is of course that it’s good enough for us to want more of it. The performances (from Annabel Leventon, Cheryl Burniston and Ali Mylon) carry these compelling characters brilliantly and it’s a joy to look at: dramatic lighting, fabulous costumes, retro set design. Add to this the mother/daughter psychodrama, cigarettes and an ageing director and This Camera is Broken is confidently reminiscent of the films of Pedro Almodóvar. And all this is enough to enjoy for six minutes without getting too frustrated by all the questions this snippet of story leaves unanswered.

Star rating (out of 5): ★★★ Directed by: #Chantal Demorial Written by: #Chantal Demorial Starring: #Tim Martin and #Beth Griffith Film Review by: Julian Gaskell Arm’s Length written and directed by Chantal Demorial is a short comedy shot in black and white. It is a story about one man’s career failure (Peter Palmer played by Tim Martin), his family’s disappointment and his social entanglement as he comes to terms with his stark physical defect and his failed career aspirations ‘to make it’ in a world of wealth, corruption, nepotism and prejudices. The story begins with Peter sat on the steps overlooking the Wall Street Stock Exchange, with one arm raised in the air. He looks forlorn as he reminisces about his childhood ambitions to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a successful city trader, an opportunity that is passing him by. He dreams of making it by himself, as he trains hard and imagines in return for his trading prowess he will achieve the success he deserves and all the trappings that go with it. But this doesn’t match the reality and in his first interview he receives a swift rebuttal and his interviewer’s incredulous look says it all as he looks at Peter, with his up-stretched arm. His trading dreams are not going to materialise. He tries to find the right job to match his physical defect and starts working as a painter but when he sees some dapper looking young city workers in town, they give him a look of quite disdain and he breaks down. His final humiliation is when a beggar offers him some food and he finally snaps. He’s out of time and his dreams now change to seeing his father’s rejection and a new vision of him turning to stealing. It’s searingly obvious from the outset that Peter’s absurd physical affliction is a major cause of his failure but this makes the physical comedy uneasy to laugh at as it points the finger at a more wider health and social care issue. Combine this with a series of socio-economic messages being bandied around like the Wall Street Stock Exchange, his family’s wealth, and the street beggars and performers, all the while with his arm raised in the air, makes this mostly distressful viewing rather than funny - although it’s hard not to laugh when he goes on his 1 minute rampage through the city to the melody of Dvorak’s Humoresque. At which point the tune suddenly switches up to a Saturday Night Fever vibe and Peter is looking like a really smug Greg Proops all of a sudden. As a comedy, the film is a smart satire that takes the opportunity to get on the political soap box using Peter’s disposition and a variety of other guises to take a mocking nod at varying cross sections of the population with plenty of cliched Americanisms to enjoy like the Statue of Liberty and ‘the land of opportunity’, Wall Street's accountability, and for the uninitiated a seemingly random Ronald Reagan retaliatory cry.

Film Feature by Lawrence Bennie A very Happy New Year to all fans, followers and readers of UK Film Review! To the relief of millions, 2021 has finally arrived. Unquestionably the most anticipated new year in recent memory, 2021 also boasts a slew of exciting new theatrical releases for UK cinema-goers to savour when doors reopen. January sees Edward Hall’s new version of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit, previously filmed by David Lean, arrive to both theatres and Sky Cinema on 15th January. Elsewhere, and on a much different note, Has Wu’s 76 Days documents the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, reaching UK cinemas on 22nd January. Moving into February, Kay Cannon’s musical update of Cinderella arrives on 5th February, after a tumultuous production that saw filming halted during lockdown. More family fun follows on 12th February with Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, whilst Kingsman prequel The King’s Man explodes onto screens on 12th March. As it stands, 2nd April sees the latest James Bond instalment, No Time To Die, set to finally arrive to British screens. Delayed a year after its original intended release date, Daniel Craig’s 007 swan-song is undoubtedly one of the most-anticipated upcoming releases of 2021. Unsurprisingly, a slew of blockbusters soon follow on the road to summer and, as always, reboots and sequels are the order of the year: A Quiet Place Part II, Black Widow, Godzilla vs Kong, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Candyman, Halloween Kills, Spider-Man: At the End of Time, The Matrix 4 and Sherlock Homes 3. It may be a new year, but there's certainly plenty of nostalgia coming our way! Elsewhere, more historical fare is on offer with the release of documentaries MLK/FBI (15th January) and The Beatles: Get Back (27th August). Nearly sixty years on from the David Lean masterpiece, Lawrence: After Arabia (21st May) follows the post-war exploits of T.E. Lawrence, whilst Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reunite on-screen for Ridley Scott’s historical epic The Last Duel (15th October). And, when Christmas returns once more, Steven Spielberg’s remake of classic musical West Side Story looks set to be the big ticket for moviegoers. These are only a selection of the cinematic highlights coming to screens in 2021 and, of course, the full post-2020 story is yet to play out. Be sure to keep a close eye on UK Film Review for all the latest features, reviews and more, as we move onwards and upwards to better times! #LawrenceBennie

★★★★ Directed by: Travis White Written by: Travis White Starring: Lee Eddy, Lukas King Film Review by: Jason Knight A woman finds herself alone in a car park, with limited lighting and the security camera is broken and useless, hanging by a cable. She is rather annoyed by the fact that there is no CCTV to make her feel safe. The woman (Eddy) has just left a Christmas party that took place at her workplace. She notices that the camera that monitors the car park is out of order. That makes her angry and afraid, because she believes that now people with bad intentions have nothing to fear. She reaches a parked car and gets in and then she starts thinking about her boss Devon (King), who she seriously dislikes, considering him to be an obnoxious, womanizing man, who has no respect for women. This thriller has a creepy atmosphere and also contains humour, elements of horror and a surprise, shocking ending. The narrative focuses on two subjects: the outrage of having faulty security cameras and how much the heroine despises Devon. The words the audience hears throughout the film are provided by her voice-over, which describe in detail how she heels about the lack of operational cameras and Devon's behaviour. Eddy delivers a strong performance as an individual who is afraid of being by herself and at the same time has serious issues with her boss. King is convincing as a happy, successful person. The script is well written and contains a twist. Before the twist is revealed in the end, the viewer assumes that the woman has entered the car park, because she wants to enter her vehicle and drive home. However, later on it is disclosed that she actually has different intentions. The narrative is nonlinear. It begins with the woman reaching the car park and entering a car and later cuts back to her exiting the elevator and stepping into the car park and again walking towards the car, this time shown from different angles than before. It then cuts to a flashback, which shows the office party she was attending earlier. The film then cuts back to her in the car, waiting. It should be noted that the flashback provides crucial clues regarding why she goes to the car park in the first place. White does a great job as a director and creates interesting characters and closeups. The filmmakers make constructive uses of match cut and jump cut editing techniques and the sound effects are also outstanding, utilizing the sound of footsteps and heavy breathing to great effect. It is also worth pointing out that the sounds present during the closing credits are quite realistic and (as a result) disturbing, sending chills down the viewer's spine. Based on the short story by Miss Directed Souls, this film is less than five minutes, but it provides a thrilling ride, filled with nail-biting moments and a sinister atmpsphere. As for the title...it does not provide the answer to the question. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: #AnthonyNti Written by: #ChingizKaribekov and Anthony Nti Starring: #PrinceAgortey, #MatildaEnchil, #GouaRobertGrovogui Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch At first glance, one may feel Anthony Nti’s film emulates City of God a bit too much; from opening scenes of chasing chickens, children viewing the world around them through cameras, and the thematic power of innocence surviving in a corrupt world. It’s an easy comparison to make but Da Yie’s presentation in cinematography, direction and performance has it stand on its own merit with great success. Nti and co-writer Chingiz Karibekov focus the film on the friendship of Prince and Matilda, two children living in Ghana who go on a day trip with a stranger ‘Bogah’. As the trip unfolds the tranquillity and life lessons are revealed to be a cover for something far more sinister. Nti assembles the films verisimilitude with incredible fidelity, Da Yie through Pieter-Jan Claessens’ rich cinematography makes it feel like a direct lens straight into Ghana. Nothing feels artificial or staged as Nti and Claessens have the scenes brimming with wonder and dread as you watch Prince and Matilda’s journey. The two child actors Prince Agortey and Matilda Enchil give brilliant, layered performances especially Agortey who’s issues of self-confidence allow for more introspective storytelling. Matilda is the confident assertive one always pushing Prince into changing his status quo, they are both kids curiously seeking what the world has to offer but at their own paces. Which is what draws them to the cool but enigmatic Bogah, he offers them adventure out of their usual ways of life and the two accept. Goua Robert Grovogui’s performance as Bogah along with Nti’s direction of the character excellently lures the characters and audience into his charms that you don’t even realise how dangerous the situation has become until its too late. Grovogui makes Bogah that stylish elegant mentor every kid would want guiding there way, he seems to genuinely care for Prince and Matilda’s wellbeing, encouraging Matilda’s enthusiasm and supporting Prince. The relationship initially reminded me of the dynamics in Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight between Juan and young Chiron and it makes the subsequent reveals heartbreaking and has the audience second guess everything they have now seen. All leading to a tense and tragic climax still maintained through the perspective of Prince and Matilda, Nti always keeping focused on how their innocence could survive within the world around them. Its harsh reality presented within beautiful imagery, everything about Da Yie impresses. Visually, thematically, and emotionally Anthony Nti and his team of talented filmmakers deliver an engrossing cinematic experience. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

★★★ Directed by: #RosieWesthoff Written by: #AprilKelley Starring: #AprilKelley, #AriAnderson, #AlexParker, #JonathanMatthewWilson Short Film Review by: #TomWilmot The short film Treacle is directed by Rosie Westhoff and written by April Kelley, who also stars in the project. Tackling a tricky yet relevant social topic concerning a bisexual woman, the short is both stylish and playful. While a simplistic narrative leaves little room for emotional investment during the course of its 18-minute runtime, the brisk pace and excellent performances make the film an enjoyable watch. Close friends Jessie (Ari Anderson) and Belle (April Kelley) take a weekend trip to help the former get over a recent break-up. While away, the two get very drunk and end up hooking up for the night. Unfortunately, this leads to a dent in their friendship as the mistaken one-night-stand has a greater effect on bisexual Belle than it does on heterosexual Jessie. Writer Kelley presents a straightforward narrative that helps the plot move along briskly. The clear focus on the two women means that there’s little to distract us from the core of the story, that being their changing relationship in the aftermath of a one-night-stand. However, this stripped-down approach does mean that there’s little time to grow attached to the characters, which certainly dampens the emotional impact intended with the film’s finale. Through its narrative, Treacle manages to capture uncomfortable feelings that many bisexual individuals may have felt after a one-night-stand. It’s clear in the fallout of the event that Jessie spares little thought for Belle’s sexuality, and doesn’t really understand the emotional consequences of her frivolous actions. An intimate encounter that was merely experimental for Jessie means a lot more to Belle; something that the former hasn’t considered. In this way, the film highlights the betrayal that can be felt after a one-night-stand in general, especially when those involved have different intentions. A lot rests on the shoulders of Ari Anderson and April Kelley, as without their excellent performances, the emotional connection to the characters would be non-existent. Fortunately, the two have wonderful chemistry with one another, as they put in heartfelt showings from start to finish. The impressive range of both actors is on full display as they convey a broad spectrum of emotions, all of which are convincingly captured in believable performances. The light-hearted tone that dominates the first-half of Treacle is reinforced visually through the bright and cheery colour palette. The film’s summery visuals give off a relaxing vibe that suits the laid-back characters and the generally care-free spirit present in the opening ten minutes. What’s more, the energy is kept up in these early scenes through some pacey editing that makes what would otherwise be tiresome montages far more engaging. Similarly, the tonal shift towards the back end of the short is handled expertly as there is a distinct change in the mixing of the soundtrack as well as the intimacy of the camerawork, with each character appearing to be more isolated in the frame. Through making such subtle changes, Westhoff manages to capture the awkwardness that many will have experienced as a result of a drunken one-night-stand. Treacle is a technically sound, pacey, and energetic short film that highlights the relationship complications that can be faced by those in the bisexual community. Great performances from Anderson and Kelley elevate what is already a quick-witted and sincere screenplay from the latter. Director Westhoff leaves us with a distinct impression of her style, which we can only hope to see developed further in future projects.

★★★★ Written and Directed by: #YonahLewis, #CalvinThomas Starring: #KaceyRohl, #AmberAnderson, #MartinDonovan Film Review by: Owen Herman Tension in cinema is so often associated with hidden bombs and daring escapes. White Lie, the fourth feature from co-directors Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas, transcends genre conventions, resulting in one of the tensest and most thrilling dramas of the year. In tone, White Lies bears an interesting resemblance to the anxiety cinema of the Safdie Brothers, getting increasingly more stressful as events proceed, encouraging a physical reaction of anxiety from the audience. Katie Arneson (a brilliant Kacey Rohl) is a young student who is faking cancer. As the people around her start to have their doubts, Katie is forced to crawl deeper into her lie as the pressure mounts, putting her relationships with those she loves in danger. The writer/director pair haven’t picked an easy topic here, there’s little to immediately make the audience sympathetic to Katie. However, as the film progresses and the stress mounts, you find yourself hoping there is someway out for her. Katie isn’t an antihero, just a young woman in over her head in a quest for attention and support. Why Katie has chosen to act like this is never fully answered by the film, although it is briefly explored. The film expects you to put these usual questions of motivation aside; there are no easy answers here, nor should there be. The questions White Lie leaves you with allow the unnerving subject matter of the film to stick with you days later. The sudden and rather wonderfully unsatisfying ending is one of the best closing scenes in the last few years. Lewis and Thomas show great command of the camera throughout the film, with great uses of long slow push ins to build tension and framing to demonstrate Katie’s isolation. The dialogue, however, can feel functional at times. This issue is often paired with scenes that are held a moment too long, slowing the pace of the film and even alleviating some of the steadily building tension. Fortunately, the performances are terrific throughout the film, even when the dialogue is having a weaker moment. Amber Anderson (Emma) as Jennifer, Katie’s heartbreakingly supportive girlfriend, and Tenet’s Martin Donovan as Katie’s father, the sympathetic antagonist of the film, are both terrific. Kacey Rohl is the standout, with some breath-taking moments of performance as Katie slowly sees her world start to unravel. Rohl brilliantly portrays that person caught in a lie so deep that they start to believe it themselves. Despite some surface level problems, White Lie succeeds in evoking the emotions needed to make it a gripping and unnerving drama-thriller. Lewis and Thomas show great understanding of the craft and show tremendous promise for their future.

★★★★ Directed by: Christopher Sampson Written by: Christopher Sampson Starring: Nathan Draman, Jye Whatson, Madi Jennings Film Review by: Jason Knight An emotional story about three youths, who go on a road trip together. Michael (Whatson) and his girlfriend Ashley (Jennings) go on a journey in their car. Accompanying them is their friend Edward (Draman), who is a homosexual. They end up on an isolated beach, where they discuss their emotions. Michael has recently suffered a tragedy and his girlfriend and friend are supporting him and helping him cope. Apart from being romantically involved with Ashley, Michael is also attracted to Edward, who shares the same feelings for him. Sampson's tale deals with themes of regret, love, loss, self-discovery, and homosexuality. It explores the relationship the three protagonists have with one another and it is clear that they care for each other. They are very kind and tender and appear concerned regarding the other person's issues. The film shows how supportive Edward and Ashley are towards Michael and it also suggests that Michael is struggling with his sexuality. The three protagonists deliver strong and emotional performances. Jennings is sympathetic as Michael's partner, who cares deeply for him and wants to be there for him as he deals with his loss. Draman is great as a person who tries to be Michael's shoulder to cry on and at the same time he is in love with him and wants his feelings to be returned. And Whatson is terrific in his portrayal of a person, who is grieving and plagued by regrets. The score is gentle and poignant and goes well with the film's tone. The soundtrack contains great songs, that add significant value to this project. Director Sampson does a wonderful job, creating breathtaking establishing shots. He also wrote a moving screenplay, with dramatic scenes and engaging characters. The editing is well structured and there is a montage sequence that makes effective use of jump cuts, fast motion and fast cutting. This short film shows how much people need each other. It also suggests that they should be open with one another and be who they want to be. #JasonKnight