Cure, The (Short, 2009)

Reviewed by Morgan Elektra

Starring Douglas Davis, Joe Tonkin, Shahina Rahemanji, Judy Maier, Mollie Weeks

Written and directed by Ryan Jafri

7 1/2 Minutes

Love can make you crazy. Kristine (Weeks) and her boyfriend Patrick (Tonkin) were crazy in love. Now he’s running around with someone else (Rahemanji), and Kristine will do anything to get back at him and put herself out of her misery. Anything includes seeking out an intimidating looking stranger (Davis) and handing over an envelope of cash.

It’s easy to see where the story is going… mostly. However, writer/director Ryan Jafri manages to keep "The Cure" from being completely predictable. It’s also beautifully shot and looks wonderful, which is the best part of the short film. Given that there’s no dialogue, there isn’t much opportunity for the actors to develop their characters, but their actions and expressions do come across as relaxed and believable.

There is a downside, however. The entire slightly over seven-minute runtime is marred by a heavy-handed and uncomfortable voiceover. I’m not sure what the thinking was behind having this voiceover (done by Judy Maier), but it doesn’t help convey the story at all. In fact, I rewatched the film with no sound at all and liked it much better. It’s still perfectly clear what’s going on in the story, and without the annoyance it was much easier to focus on the nice cinematography.

This is Jafri’s first foray as a writer/director, and while it’s kind of shaky, he does have a strongly artistic eye. If you get the chance to see "The Cure", just put it on mute and enjoy.

3 out of 5

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