Cut Loose

A relationship is hampered by a menacing third-wheel. This is a slick, well-produced short - the crew know what they're doing and it shows. The scene in the cupboard stands out in my mind as probably the best-lit shot of the night and the drone-shot of the endless suburbs was a nice touch. It was the performance of the 'bad seed' that was the highlight for me - a brooding, stark figure who contrasted very well with the other characters (costuming was good in this regard). What lets it down is the writing. Some clunky pillow-talk opens the film and there were a few gaps in the narrative (understandable when you've only got 5 minutes and need to push along). After the 'reveal', what we've just seen unravels a bit too: the female character was acting like there were two other people... it's hard to explain but the flashbacks and the rest of the film don't quite read right in my head after we learn who the bad seed really is (I might just need another viewing though).