Max Goodman has spent years making his film "Zero" but to say it has not been well received is an understatement and he is not taking it well. It is his birthday and he is spending it alone alternating between angry ranting and depressed self-pity. And then his Mom comes round to see him.
This film starts out with a bit of a comedic feel to it before then becoming more of a harsh character drama with the arrival of the mother before then becoming a tragedy before then pulling the rug from under the viewer and returning to something of a comedy short film. I'm not entirely sure how to describe it but it does feel like it has some personal meaning or in-joke qualities to the makers to which the audience are not privy. The question of whether it was engaging or not is a different question from it being good when looking back on it. I was interested in it of course but it did frustrate that it would bounce around all over the place in regards style, tone and content; it made me feel like I was never going to "get" the film a feeling only reinforced by ending.
It does feel quite creative and energetic though and perhaps this is worth noting because it sits with the "personal" nature of it as a finished product in regards it having more value to the makers than the viewer. For this it is maybe worth checking out but for many other reasons it is not that good a short film for the casual viewer to try and watch.
This film starts out with a bit of a comedic feel to it before then becoming more of a harsh character drama with the arrival of the mother before then becoming a tragedy before then pulling the rug from under the viewer and returning to something of a comedy short film. I'm not entirely sure how to describe it but it does feel like it has some personal meaning or in-joke qualities to the makers to which the audience are not privy. The question of whether it was engaging or not is a different question from it being good when looking back on it. I was interested in it of course but it did frustrate that it would bounce around all over the place in regards style, tone and content; it made me feel like I was never going to "get" the film a feeling only reinforced by ending.
It does feel quite creative and energetic though and perhaps this is worth noting because it sits with the "personal" nature of it as a finished product in regards it having more value to the makers than the viewer. For this it is maybe worth checking out but for many other reasons it is not that good a short film for the casual viewer to try and watch.
