Mar 23, 20202 min read

Fool's Errand Short Film Review

★★★

Starring: #VincentJerome, #NadiaSohawan and #DanielHoffmanGill

ShortFilmReview by BrianPenn

It’s a mystery as old as time itself; how do you cope when a relationship ends? The endless self-analysis; what you said, what she said; the pivotal moment when it all started to go wrong. The unbearable chasm between the way it should have been and how it actually turned out. Michael (Vincent Jerome) has lost the love of his life Rachel (Nadia Sohawan).

We see their story in rapid flashback; that first glance at the local gym; the excitement of a blossoming romance and inevitable routine that kicks in. Michael has fallen head over heels in love with Rachel. He wants it all with her; marriage, children and roses around the doorstep. She doesn’t see it that way; marriage feels like an encumbrance, a diversion from her career and a complete loss of control. Sooner or later push comes to shove as Rachel feels suffocated by the needy Michael. The relationship seemingly ends and Michael is left heartbroken. If only he could turn back the clock, it could have been so different?

Enter the Suit (Daniel Hoffman-Gill) who appears to be Michael’s sub-conscious, counsellor and psychiatrist all rolled into one. He convinces Michael that it needn’t have been that way: but how badly does he want her back? We can all surmise what’s going on here, but Fool’s Errand seems to take its inspiration from Sliding Doors; an alternate version of events if Michael hadn’t been quite so pushy and held onto Rachel. Overall, it’s a well-constructed piece that draws natural performances from the cast. It traces the anatomy of a relationship that burns brightly, but gradually expires because they want different things from life. What will Michael discover about Rachel in the alternate version of their relationship? It’s a stylish piece of film making that does its job well enough; but like so many shorts fails to satisfactorily tie the story up.

Watch the trailer here: