The year is half over. As a movie critic who has seen almost every film released this year – I was glancing at what I have compiled for my “best of the year” list. It was slim pickings. My favorite film has been “Wicked Little Letters” (Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley). It’s about two neighbors in a big fight.
I just saw what is now my second favorite movie of the year, which is also about two neighbors in a fight. Unfortunately, it’s only a short film, because I would’ve loved to have spent two hours with these women.
Brooke McCormick and Connie Chairelli wrote and starred in this story about neighbors meeting to try and solve the problem of a rose bush that was destroyed.
I remember how powerful the scene was in “Black Snake Moan” when Samuel Jackson takes a tractor and destroys his wife’s beloved rose bushes (she did leave him for his brother). I also remember Roses that were destroying each other (in the overrated movie “The War of the Roses”).
This was a lot more subtle than those pictures. In fact, I was reminded a lot of the Polanski film “Carnage” (Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet, John C. Reily). That entire movie takes place in a living room, as parents are trying to decide what to do about their kids who were in a fight. It goes back and forth from politeness to meanness over tea, cigars, wine, and interrupting cell phones. This film has elements of that (minus the cigars). For my money, McCormick and Chiarelli are every bit as good as Foster and Winslet. Chiarelli often reminded me of Julia Louis-Dreyfus (who was in one of my favorite films last year – You Hurt My Feelings).
One of the problems in reviewing a short film is, almost anything you say can be a spoiler alert. Watching the events unfold, without knowing how it will go, is a lot more fun. I will say – the conversation after wine is consumed, is brilliant with the accents, facial expressions, and the dialogue.
There’s a food fight that rivals the one John Belushi started in “Animal House.”
It’s fun to notice all the roses in various backgrounds (or on a napkin, a saucer, etc.).
There’s a nice score that never drowns out the clever dialogue, and actually adds to the scenes. Most directors have scores that are too loud, or try to manipulate you with a lot of strings.
It’s also interesting to watch things unfold, wondering – did Laurel poison that wine she’s handing Meredith? Ah, maybe not. They’re now both chugging it.
The movie also has the best product placement ever, for JennyWennyCakes (how I would’ve loved to have been on the set during filming and devoured the craft services table).
The direction and editing by Rich Varville is excellent.
About the only thing I didn’t care for (and it’s a small complaint), is the title. I’d read it, and thought of the Ben Kingsley/Sigourney Weaver movie “Death and the Maiden” from 30 years ago. I was thinking this could be something like: These Roses Have Thorns, or War of the Rose Bush, or The Rose Bush Brawl; maybe La Vie End Roses. I dunno. Maybe not. If I were more clever, I’d be writing scripts like theirs instead of merely reviewing them.
This short film is going to be only the second time I’ve put a short on my Top 10 of the year list in 30 years (the last one was “The Letter Room” with Oscar Isaac from four years ago).
I can’t wait to see what McCormick and Chiarelli have in store for us next (and it better be a film length feature).
5 stars.