Wrists Tied

Wrists Tied is an amusing new crime-comedy short from director Joseph Jeavons. It tells a story of two young guys – Melvin (Beckett Nichols) and Doug (Hank Holbrook) –who have been friends since childhood. After some failed business ventures, Melvin concludes that he’d like to get involved with a Get Rich Quick Scheme; this, however, quickly turns out to be a front for some kooky criminals wishing to rob banks. While Melvin is still willing to go along with the scheme, Doug is more sceptical and refuses to proceed. What follows is a watchable and humorous tale of corruption, betrayal, and leg hair.

There’s a unique mixture of comedy styles present in this short film. For instance, much of the overall tone is reminiscent of a John Hughes style of youthful humour. The boys naturally joke back and forth, toeing the line between endearing and annoying. At the end of the day, this is a comedy; we’re meant to laugh at and with these characters as well as the absurdity of the scenario. The best jokes in the movie are more visual. To provide an example, at one point Doug phones Melvin while Melvin is at one of the criminal meetings. He lies about this, pretending he’s home and that his mother’s calling him. When we cut back to Doug and the camera pans over, it turns out that Doug is stood outside the meeting. “I’ve always known”, he says – an advancement of the plot, and a great punchline.

This temperament of depicting young, disillusioned people turning to crime – not because there are no other options but simply because it is an option – is very reminiscent of what feels like this movie’s main inspiration: Wes Anderson’s short (and later debut feature) Bottle Rocket. Jeavons’ film does an amazing job at replicating, and paying homage to, Anderson’s classic comedy – particularly through how the friendships and comradery are placed at the forefront of the story's focus.

I’d like to talk a bit about the difference between editing and structure. From an editorial standpoint, this is a really well-put-together piece. But sometimes, for whatever reason, the film feels as if it lacks focus. This is a consistently well-cut movie; it’s the scenarios and the dialogue which occasionally cause the film’s pace to meander. For instance, the first few minutes of the runtime work well to establish the crux of the story: this friendship. And yet, its overly plotty, explanatory “1 Year Later” structure (so to show that Melvin’s hypothetical business isn’t working out) could have been achieved smoothly in less time. Only to say that – while this short is terrifically entertaining – when it lacks propulsion, it’s more due to the overall structure. The cutting feels just about right.

Wrists Tied is an immensely enjoyable watch. While the cinematography has its flaws – specifically the use of autofocus settings – there are still plenty of interesting shots on show. This film was made by people who know movies, and understand the rhythms, patterns, and visual traits of the good ones (Bottle Rocket as the prime example). It’s an absurdly endearing work from beginning to end, made by creatives at the beginning of a promising career.