Length: 05:00
Logline: An armed robber encounters problem after problem on a post office raid.
Nathan Naylor takes on the role of would be thief whose efforts are thwarted as he falls foul of common courtesy and very British manners. And although the protagonist is effectively a bad guy, we have immediate empathy with the character who is forced to endure the frustration of the post office queue system, something most of us can relate to. Thanks to excellent casting, Moya Brady is set up as the antagonistic cashier who provides both comedy and conflict. With limited dialogue, most of the acting is physical and all performers are excellent in delivering expression, Brady in particular.
The short is structurally sound with nice pacing. I liked the western style stand off at the end between Naylor and Brady which rounds off the rising tension nicely. Add to this, the ticking time bomb element which also helps build and maintain suspense. This is also assisted by the tempo of the soundtrack which works okay but sounded a bit GarageBandy to me and kind of cheapens it a little.
Camerawork is mostly handheld and there is plenty of good movement within the shots which shows professionalism and good direction. The range of shots and competent editing makes the film flow well. Camera quality is good but lighting isn't perfect with a lot of shadows which sometimes gives a dull look.
Unfortunately, the whole piece is let down by the weak punchline of the cashier smugly standing up to the gun pointing robber. I guess it was because he couldn't get his gun under the glass barrier but that's something I didn't pick up on the first watch. Although it seems like the natural conclusion to the story, it wasn't as high impact as I would have liked. Overall, a well acted piece but a bit flat on storyline.
Best Bit: Moya Brady's acting.
Worst Bit: Let down ending.
Final thought: I don't know if I'd have the same self control, standing in that queue knowing I had a loaded gun in my pocket.
Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.
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