Interstate

A young man has deep thoughts while committing a very sinister deed.

It is pitch-black night-time and a car is moving in the darkness, in an isolated location. The driver is a middle-aged man and sitting in the passenger seat is a youth. It is revealed that they are involved in very nasty things and are up to no good.

This short dark thriller follows two individuals as they head in the middle of nowhere in order to discard something. The story is primarily told through the perspective of Louie (Jones), the younger man. The older one, Kurt (Lopez) appears to be the one who is more in control and focused on their mission. Louie is less keen about what he is currently doing and keeps thinking about his life, about how he would had rather been a painter. As the two associates carrie on with their venture, things get out of hand, leading to tense moments.

The film begins with the shot of a sign about dreams being abandoned. This sign seems to be relevant to the character of Louie, as his thoughts indicate that he longs for a different life. The narrative contains several sequences where Louie is lost in his thoughts. These sequences consist of his voice-over talking about his desire to be a painter and about a dream he has. The sequences also consist of montages that involve superimposition and dramatic music. McIntosh's creative editing, along with Jones's voice-over and Austin Anderson's score, make Louie's personal thoughts quite emotionally impactful and offer an insight into his character.

Jones does a good job as a person who is reluctant about what they are currently doing. Lopez is rather convincing as a person who is experienced in what he does and his performance is dramatic and dynamic.

As the whole narrative takes place in a deserted location, during night-time, the lighting is limited, however interesting lighting techniques are utilised and praise goes to Peter Phan for the work on the cinematography.

By utilising a plot about two criminals heading to an isolated location in order to take care of some business, this short tells a story about an individual who is in a situation where he does not belong. Apart from being a crime thriller, this short is also about self-discovery, regrets and broken dreams. It is a dark crime story and one that manages to be emotional as well.