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Directed by Dan Lofaso
Written by Phoebe Torres
Starring Mark Grenier, Timothy J. Cox, Thea McCartan, Jake Lipman, Christopher John, Rhea Kottakis
Short Film Review by Taryll Baker
Most interventions are commonly serious, especially when a loved one's drinking problem has come to fruition. Director Dan Lofaso takes an amusingly light approach to the subject with Gary From Accounting. As with all short films, there’s always the worry that you will not connect with the characters within the constrained duration. However, Phoebe Torres writes the characters realistically, and though a little amplified by the actors, it bodes well for the eventual resolution.
As the screen opens we see Gary (Mark Grenier) entering a seemingly vacant house, wandering around and eventually settling in with some light reading. Seconds later Hannah (Thea McCartan) and Belle (Jake Lipman) enter the room to discover they have invited the wrong Gary. As he packs up his things to leave, Nathan (Timothy J. Cox) arrives home to his nightmare but sees Gary as he pushes past to the door, greeting the accountant with joy.
Remember those episodes of How I Met Your Mother when each character would set up interventions for their friends’ various problems and addictions? Those moments of comedic genius are reflected here but in no way feel stolen or repeated. It’s Gary’s love for the TV show Girls and his hate for spoilers that ultimately captures Nathan’s attention. Each of Gary’s lines are delivered so naturally by Grenier which totally sells the scene. Then having the children (Christopher John & Rhea Kottakis) beg for their father’s love and affection only builds on this exaggerated yet truthfully organic fly on the wall state of affairs. Speaking of flies on a wall, Director of Photography Jesse Bronstein uses the now-famous mockumentary style of filming, allowing us to feel as if we are literally sitting within the room and witnessing the intervention first-hand. Thea and Jake both perform well but its the showcase of spot-on timing from Mark and Timothy that really keep the viewers locked in.
The camera handling and editing is at an acceptable level for such a low-budget film, not once a distraction or intrusion to the overall enjoyment the film distributes. There are small but noticeable alterations in the sound recording, however it seems simply irrelevant as all lines are easily apprehended and doesn’t discredit the quality of the picture. The absence of a score is felt, though even the most subtle composition would feel overpowering, so its deficiency is understandable.
Simply put, Gary From Accounting is a serious but oft-times fun and realistic cross-genre short that succeeds in capturing and entertaining its audience. Each individual involved feels vitally important and have created a light-hearted and enjoyable little film
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