Rage

A man's heavy drinking and drug abuse leads to devastating consequences.

Alex (Wales) is a married man and has a son (Penman). One night, he and is wife Courtney (Fullerton) go to a pub and things end up going downhill. Alex drinks a lot and secretly takes drugs, becoming aggressive and out of control. Eventually, the couple return home, where things go horribly wrong.

This short film is a hard-hitting thriller that pulls no punches when it comes to showing the terrible results that alcoholism and substance abuse leads to. While under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Alex turns into a vile person, resorting to violence, swearing and shouting. The scenes of violence are very distressing and it is his wife and son who become victims of his actions. The screenplay also explores how Alex himself becomes a victim of his own deeds and it is equally upsetting to watch. The narrative begins with calmness and normality and gradually the signs that indicate that Alex is an unstable man appear. The atmosphere becomes more and more tense, until things finally reach the abyss.

Wales's perfomance is vital in order for the film do deliver its messages. He dramatically and powerfully portrays an individual who is battling substance addictions and is on the edge. When he reaches breaking point, he is terrifying and when he is forced to deal with the consequences, he is pitiful. Fullerton and Penman are great as the innocent ones who become targets of Alex's aggression.

Alfie Marsh develops wonderful cinematography and there are creative lighting techniques. The filmmakers make effective use of fisheye techniques and the music by David Campbell is tense and dramatic.

This viewing is quite unpleasant, however it deserves significant praise and recognition because it raises awareness of domestic violence and substance abuse and it portrays the acts and the consequences very directly. It provides a heartbreaking and memorable experience with important messages.