Monday, August 20, 2007

Review: Honey, I'm Home

Honey, I'm Home

Writer/Director/Producer: David Branin

Cinematographer/Editor/Producer: Vincent Martinez

Starring: Jacob Magnuson, Karen Worden

Composer: Rudy Mangual




"You'll walk the floor the way I do. Your cheatin' heart will tell on you.” - Hank Williams Jr.

The Skinny:
A short film about that tells the story of infidelity... with a twist.

The Review:
Short films are not only shorter in length, but typically made on the most minimal of budgets. So in order to be worthwhile, they have no choice but to be efficient. This film is exactly that. There seem to be no wasted as each shot serves a purpose to set the mood and the greater good of the story. And talk about shoestring budget; according to their
press page, this film was made for less than $100. In this day in age of multimillion dollar blockbusters and $20-30 million paychecks, it's comforting to know that there are still people out there interested in what makes good movies great. Writing, performances, and directing.

The tagline for the film is “He cheated. She knows.” The filmmakers do a good job at setting the mood right from the beginning with a very captivating piano piece. It’s raining outside and we see a man coming home. He is nervous, fidgety, and he is trying to get his bearings about him before he enters the house. He tucks his shirt in, fixes his tie, takes a deep breath and goes inside. The rest of the film shows him coming to grips with his decisions and attempting to make amends. But wait, there’s a twist. The twist at the end shows the movie in an entirely different light. It takes standard conventions and spins them like a top. The end result is quite funny. It’s like those jokes your grandfather always tells that are funny enough, but so obvious you have no choice but to laugh. That is the exact reaction I had to this movie. During a second viewing, even armed with the knowledge of how the story turned out, I was surprised at how well the story was set up leading up to the twist, and I actually enjoyed it more the second time around.

The Rub:
This is an entertaining and very efficient film that relies on the strength of the writing and the performance of Jacob Magnuson. The direction and editing are tight and together made for a very satisfying experience. It is rare to see a film dealing with a somber subject such as infidelity in such a comedic light.

And there’s the rub.

*** 1/2 out of *****

http://www.myspace.com/honeyimhomethemovie.com

http://www.dreamregimeproductions.com

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