Jason Baustin’s short film about the struggle to find meaning in life when seemingly every person (death of family members), situation (eviction) and support (dumped by girlfriend) simultaneously swirl together into a perfect storm of despair has much to say about the human condition.
Given the recent months of economic turmoil—brought on largely by the insatiable greed of financial professionals and look-the-other-way regulators—thousands, likely millions of “working” people find themselves in John’s (a gritty portrayal by Clayton Meyers) crisis of existence.
Brandishing a gleaming switchblade, the disenfranchised man seeks an answer. First from a priest (Richard Cutting) then a BDF-loving pimp (Demetrius Parker’s “que sera sera” attitude/solution to his parasitic character’s woes via “Booze, Drugs and Fucking” seems entirely reasonable in our largely love-lost world) and, finally, a matronly librarian (quiet confidence from Susan Smith).
If everything does happen for a reason and life slips from unbearable to wretched, it’s little wonder that reckless violence or if-they-can-get-away-with-it-why-can’t-I? theft, fraud and other variations of “white-collar” crime expand in proportion to the degree of misery faced.
Happily, there is a light of possibility at the end of Baustin’s thoughtful exposition, but will those who really need to see and know it get the chance before their world descends permanently into darkness? JWR