'Over' - Jörn Threllfall (2015)

Poster

Film Title: 'Over'

Director: Jörn Threlfall

Genre: Real life crime

Year: 2015

Length: 14 Minutes

Awards: Bafta-nominated

My expectation: Before watching the film I predicted it would be about someone who has lived a life of crime or about the end of someone's life. I expected to see a night time chase which included passing through back allies. For characters I believed there would be a gang of men in their 20's who were escaping from the police after doing something to a 'victim'; assuming it would be your typical crime film, however, when I watched it I quickly realised this was not that type of film.

The first shot complied with my prediction, it opens at night with an apprehensive pan of a suburban street eventually revealing a car. The next shot, taken a few meters from the original position still framing the car and a  title card appears reading '7:30 PM'. As the film progresses the shots continue to go anti-clockwise around the green in the street always framing the car. There is no prominent dialogue in this piece building tension for the watcher as the clues are being fed to us slowly with no explanation. The only thing we are told is the time indicating to us they are telling the story backwards.

What I liked: I find this film incredibly clever as it forces us to focus on the blue car as that is were all the 'action' is taking place so when the man eventually falls we are looking straight at the scene, we are left shocked as it is unexpected and we do not feel prepared. This was able to be achieved through the lack of emotional connection we get from the piece due to the fact we meet no one. The fact it is also presented on a suburban street which includes children playing and people running adds an element of security for us. We draw the conclusion that there was a robbery due to the cuts of the 'evidence' e.g. balaclavas and bomber jackets and the fact it is clearly a wealthy area - enhancing our shock at the end.

What I didn't like: Although the film portrayed the story well, I struggled with the lack of dialogue used, I felt the film dragged on at times as we were just watching a street. However,  the danger of using more dialogue would be the impact wound not be ask great and the sympathy felt for the man wouldn't be as much as we would be thinking about how the characters we had previously met would feel. The fact we felt like an observer meant our sympathy was with him and he was the only character we got to know. So I do feel that they made the right decision, though it wasn't right for me.

Anything I may use?: I thought the information given to us at the end gave the personal aspect that was previously lacking enhancing ultimate sympathy for the man. I also enjoyed the observational response - meaning an audience could interpret their own story from it. 

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2016/04/16/over/ - 'Over'