A Plus Short Film Review

Feb 142 min read

★★★★

Starring: #SarahJohn, #ChayBrowne, #ChrisKyriacou and #PebbleLillyLeslie

A Plus, a short film that follows a young couple, Cassie and Ade, who are determined to do what’s best for their 10-year-old daughter. Much like any parent, they want their daughter to get the best education and to thrive in a world where opportunities can be made available to her. However, at what cost? Cassie and Ade take some extreme measures to give their daughter a fighting chance and take matters into their own hands to ensure her success. Director Michael. P. Spencer’s comedy asks the audience, just how far would you go to give your child the best start in life?

The story begins at a petrol station, the couple seem quite tense with each other and eager to leave and move forward with their ‘plan’. Ade walks out of the shop with some apple juice and asks Cassie’s opinion on some duct tape. With the shadiness of their actions, we can only assume that they are preparing to commit a dangerous crime and inflict violence on someone which does not suit the couple’s personality. At this stage, the audience are left confused as to what type of people this couple are, especially when listening to their conversation, as they share their thoughts and opinions on education and the best ways in which a child can learn. Things seem a little mismatched here and only makes the story that much more interesting as the plot begins to thicken.

The cinematic style for this short film is fantastic, edgy and dark and completely throws the audience off the scent to the direction of the narrative. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of scenes and imagery throughout; it made for a successful comedic relief once the audience find out the couple’s real plan. Delaying that ultimate reveal made it that much funnier when we discover the family’s true intent. Without too many spoilers, this family are very keen to make sure their daughter gets good grades across the board and will stop at nothing to make sure that happens.

A Plus is a funny short film with a few surprises along the way that draws the viewer in as we attempt to determine the intentions of our main characters and their mysterious and unusual behaviour, only to be hit with a very witty and unexpected ending. This short will lead you down a journey of a mixture of emotions but will have you laughing by the end!