This evening, because it was a rather boring day, I purchased a short film I'd had my eye on for a while: Sea Wall, directed by Stephen Simons.
Months ago, I found it the way I usually do in regards to such things: scrolling through my Tumblr dashboard, I found a link to a new project that Andrew Scott was associated with. I immediately opened the link, and was taken to another page advertising a short piece of 34 minutes, in which Andrew plays the only character, and is on-camera the entire time. I was seriously intrigued, and I think that since then, I'd watched the trailer five or six times, just because it was so interesting.
So tonight, I finally purchased it, and while I was a bit apprehensive about spending $10 on 34 minutes of film, I'm actually very glad I did.
First of all, I cannot express how much admiration I have for him; he is one of the most talented actors I've been fortunate enough to discover while keeping my rather unhealthy hobby of film- and television-watching. He's kind of unassuming, to be honest. He went to school for Drama, dropped out because he didn't like writing essays, and still managed to make a name for himself in Britain. And his repertoire and CV attest to that quite well. I really don't know if I've seen a more flexible actor in my life. If I didn't know what a sweetheart he was in real life, it would be unsettling, how fluid he is in playing his characters. He can go from suave, composed, aloof to completely unhinged and dangerous in a split-second; anyone who's seen BBC Sherlock's The Reichenbach Fall knows how true this is. But just look at that face:
I, for one, find it very difficult to find anything at all frightening about him, but he manages it perfectly.
But enough of that, this is about that short film I devoted a few paragraphs to up there.
Already looks enticing, no? If not, let's start off with the synopsis:
"We want you to meet Alex.
You will like him.
He will talk to you about love and scuba diving, the possibility of faith and being the polar opposite of Daniel Craig. And, with an honesty that is funny, moving, painful and real, he’s also going to tell you about Lucy."
That's it. It's simple. On the surface, it's completely simple. A man named Alex turns a camera on, doesn't introduce himself at all, just starts talking about his daughter, Lucy. But about halfway through the film, things take a much more serious turn, and Alex starts unraveling, just a bit. He starts talking about God, about how he questions a higher power, about this hole that goes through his stomach, and you start thinking "What? What in the world has happened to this man?". Then, about 23 minutes in, we finally find out. His cheerful, gentle mask comes off, and it is heart-wrenching. I found myself sitting gob-smacked, and wondering "Is he going to make it through this? He doesn't look okay at all."
Hard to believe, but in 34 minutes, I think I connected better with Alex than I have with characters in many a 2-hour-long film.
The focus of the film is obviously its truly beautiful Absurdist script. It's told in a disjointed, rambling manner, and with just enough gaps in the narrative to keep you hanging onto every word delivered, every expression that flashes across a highly-expressive face. Nor are we told the story from start to finish, in order. Since there's only one character, we're privy to all of Alex's thoughts, and it really is more like Alex is firing off thoughts in his own head than having an actual conversation. Disconnected thoughts-as-monologue is a hard thing to get right, especially when handling topics like these, and particularly when there is so much emotion needed.
Of course, Andrew’s performance is so incredibly powerful, and that's what pulls it all together. He’s just fascinating to watch, the way he unfolds his character. Impressive doesn't even begin to describe the way he builds his story up for you… and then allows you to watch his life shatter. I really cannot describe what watching that was like, because I don't know if I know enough synonyms for "poignant", "devastating", and "amazing" to cover it. You'll have to wait about 25 minutes for the full effect, but when you get there... God, it's refreshing to see such a simple premise with so much emotional depth. Anybody who knows me, knows that I live for angsty situations, and this delivered, 100%. Let's also mention the fact that the camera is rolling for half-an-hour, without breaks. He delivers the entire script, from start to finish, flawlessly (or, as flawlessly as someone who hasn't read the script can perceive it to be). If that isn't devotion to a craft, I don't know what is.
I can't think of much more to say other than: honestly, if you can spare the $10, watch it.
In fact, I'm posting the link, for anyone who's even the slightest bit interested, right here.
I really don’t think you'll be disappointed if you do.
