Blood is Thicker

A short drama written and directed by Melissa Skirboll and starring herself and Jeanine Bartel.

Jessie (Bartel) and Shana (Skirboll) are sisters and Jessie invited Shana to her New York City apartment for a meal, just the two of them. The two of them have not been in regular contact for a while and this is an opportunity to catch up. After a pleasant beginning, the atmosphere becomes dramatic as Jessie accuses her older sibling of being distant, having lost contact with her and their troubled mother.

A home meal that turns into an argument about commitments. This film does a great job in creating drama and exploring the two protagonists. Jessie's accusations regarding her sister's behaviour are what creates the plot and moves the story forward. It becomes evident rather early that the main reason Jessie invited Shana to her home was not for a friendly chat but to make her understand that for a long time she has been ignoring her and their mother, who seems to have a mental disorder. Shana claims that she disappeared because she was been busy with work and her personal life, however Jessie refuses to accept that as an excuse and repeatedly tries to convince her to become more committed to her sister and her mother. There is a lot of drama and heavy emotions and a surprise plot twist and Louis Robert King's score adds to the atmosphere with the piano melodies.

Skirboll also worked on the editing and does a good job witht the dissolve technique. However, there is a brief sequence during a tense monologue by Jessie that utilises dissolve and the result feels awkward. A simple cut would probably had been better. Other than that, this short is fine.

Both Bartel and Skirboll deliver amazing performances. As mentioned, Bartel's character is the one who creates the plot with her perspective regarding her sister's failure to keep in touch with her loved ones. A restaurant manager, Jessie has been looking after her mother, despite having a busy schedule and she is upset that her sibling has not followed her example and intends to change that by making her see the errors of her ways. Shana is naive and stubborn, insisting that she is not to blame for anything.

Perhaps the main theme is acknowledging priorities, especially when it comes to family values, stating that people should do their best not to lose contact with loved ones. The film also focuses on self-reflection, regrets, reminiscing about the past and understanding one's mistakes.

A dramatic story about a woman who is massively disappointed that her sister has drifted away. The acting is strong and the screenplay succeeds in keeping the story intriguing and exploring the characters. Plus, the clever revelation at the end moves the atmosphere towards thriller territory.