The plot here sees a boy returning from juvenile detention where he has spent some time for beating up his step-father. His return to normal life sees him try to return to his old job and old life even as the past of what he has done stays with him. Meanwhile a very friend sick continues to only get worse as his religious family sit around him, praying to Jesus for help while ignoring Todd's assertions that probably the better approach would be to mix faith with a doctor.
The story here is pretty good but I must say that without the delivery it would not stand up as much. The theme of "religious idiots" is not an uncommon one in short films, perhaps because the community of creative types that tends to be involve would also tend not to be those clinging to their bibles and their guns in smaller towns. That said, here it is not forced down the throat so much as used as a story of a boy growing up, trying to shake off his past but also knowing what is the right thing to do. It doesn't totally satisfy as a narrative in terms of start/middle/end but I did care and was interested in the character, which I guess is all that matters at the end of it.
The delivery is impressively professional though. The colors in the film are richly brown and warm, you can feel the heat of the place and this compliments the tension of the community. I would have like fewer close- ups and tight shots and maybe given more room to a sequence rather than mostly edits, but it still has a rich feel to it that I liked. The performances are mixed but the key one works from Young, he is convincing and manages to be difficult but not so difficult that he loses the viewer; it is odd to see that his career on film so far is partly in short film but mostly as ADR voice work for major films.
The Replacement Child is solid but not a perfect film as I would have liked a bit more freedom and a bit more delivery but it is well delivered with rich atmosphere a good look and a good central performance.
The story here is pretty good but I must say that without the delivery it would not stand up as much. The theme of "religious idiots" is not an uncommon one in short films, perhaps because the community of creative types that tends to be involve would also tend not to be those clinging to their bibles and their guns in smaller towns. That said, here it is not forced down the throat so much as used as a story of a boy growing up, trying to shake off his past but also knowing what is the right thing to do. It doesn't totally satisfy as a narrative in terms of start/middle/end but I did care and was interested in the character, which I guess is all that matters at the end of it.
The delivery is impressively professional though. The colors in the film are richly brown and warm, you can feel the heat of the place and this compliments the tension of the community. I would have like fewer close- ups and tight shots and maybe given more room to a sequence rather than mostly edits, but it still has a rich feel to it that I liked. The performances are mixed but the key one works from Young, he is convincing and manages to be difficult but not so difficult that he loses the viewer; it is odd to see that his career on film so far is partly in short film but mostly as ADR voice work for major films.
The Replacement Child is solid but not a perfect film as I would have liked a bit more freedom and a bit more delivery but it is well delivered with rich atmosphere a good look and a good central performance.