The Cure (2006) User Reviews

Great direction and pacing.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 12 June 2009]

This is an odd film for me, as after I reviewed a nice film from a new film maker (FAR OUT by Phil Mucci), another writer/director, Ryan Jafri, contacted me and asked me to watch and review his film, THE CURE. I don't normally review films this way, but what the heck--I love shorts and couldn't wait to see another.

Interestingly, while it turned out I did like THE CURE, I was not thrilled by it and let Jafri know. To his credit, he encouraged me to review it anyway--giving it my honest appraisal.

The film has tremendous style and as far as Jafri's direction goes, it's exceptional--especially for such an inexperienced film maker (it's his first film). The combination of exceptional choices of color, pacing and music that well-suited the film created a great sense of atmosphere. You really are pulled into the film and that is a credit to the film making. However, the thing I didn't love was some of the writing. While the basic idea was great, the ending was just too easy to foresee. I really would have loved the ending had it come as more of a surprise or there to have been an unexpected twist. However, considering that this film is from someone who shouldn't be able to make such a professional film given his experience, it bodes well for his future. Good job.

Things to Fix

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 26 June 2009]

Kristine Watts (Molie Weeks) is broken apart, missing her lover; she is not able to overcome her love for him that is lost in the past. She hires a stranger (Douglas Davis) and gives a list of her mistakes to him with things to fix. But time is irreversible and sometimes the cure for the pain is a tragic end.

The first point that impresses in "The Cure" is the stylish cinematography that alternates black and white with color. The concise and sharp screenplay is capable to develop a tragic and bleak tale of love with an unexpected plot point in the very end in less than eight minutes. The soundtrack is beautiful but the volume is a little loud and associated to the fact that English is not my native language, in some moments I needed to repeat some words whispered by the narrator. The unknown lead actress has magnificent performance and is extremely gorgeous. I hope to have a chance to see her again on the screen. Last but not the least, the debut of the director and writer Ryan Jafri could not be better. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Watch it with the sound off.

[Morbid_Mutant · 7/10 · 26 June 2009]

Time and time again, I've stated that if people don't want remakes or sequels made, they should stop seeing them and instead venture into the world of independent film. Having said that though, the last time I saw an independent film myself must have been easily six months ago. So here's a review for an indie that I had my attention drawn to on Youtube; the Cure.

Right away, you can tell that the film is going for an avant-garde film approach which is telegraphed in its use of extreme close ups, scopophilia and fast editing. It is proud of the way it looks - and it has a right to be. For the most part it is a very nicely composed little piece, save for one inexcusable disregard for the 180 degree rule and a comically bad gunshot effect which is a phenomenon that seems to be THE calling card for self funded projects.

Still, despite these amateurish mistakes the majority of the shots are actually a pleasure to look at. We're presented with a good use of props and locations, good visual acting and some very atmospheric, fluid editing, which is made more commendable as this is definitely something you won't see very often at all from a Youtube submission. The plot is fragmented and although the basic premise is fairly simple some may find it hard to follow exactly what is happening, but what we are seeing here is avant-garde storytelling at work; you can't really expect a straightforward three act structure and if you do you might not be ready for this kind of movie.

Where the film is unfortunately let down however is the sound. What you're going to hear throughout is a distorted voice-over which often sounds insincere and worse still is the continuous background music, which goes through minimal change and doesn't add much to anything. So much attention is paid to the visuals that the audio frankly sounds neglected, and this becomes really apparent when you realize you've just missed about four sentences of the narration and have to backtrack to pick up what slipped past your attention.

So, give it a watch, but do it with the sound turned off.

Last thought; was anyone else reminded of the cover for Doug Naylor's Red Dwarf novel "Last Human" early in the film? If you have the book you know what I mean.

An amazing film, Ryan Jafri is a filmmaker to keep your eye on!

[shoalinzqtest · 10/10 · 1 March 2007]

The Cure is an amazing film...So suspenseful and just so REAL! I was lucky enough to catch a screening of 'The Cure' at it's NYC premiere and it completely blew me away! I also heard it won an award from that particular festival, and it definitely deserved it. The first thing that struck out at me was the cinematography. Eric Giovon did an amazing job. The shooting style of the love scene halfway into the film was amazing. A love scene was necessary in this film, and Jafri got the point across but also kept the scene tasteful. Giovon and Jafri make an excellent creative team and they should definitely work together on future projects. Judy Maier's narration was so surreal but simultaneously heart wrenching, it made me feel what the main character felt. I'm a very tough critic but i must say The Cure is one of my favorite films..JUST LOVE IT! If you haven't seen it yet, check it out!

This is what a short film should be.

[info-20163 · 9/10 · 13 March 2010]

Let me start by saying I have never reviewed a movie on IMDb before; however, I am in the video biz myself. And coming from that perceptive; I can say, without a shadow of a doubt that this film is what a short should be. It has a very good story and another thing I love-(an even better twist ending). Opening was very well done, I loved video chosen for it and how it was edited.

I am not a fan of B&W but the way this film uses the effect it works. And with any film that is all that matters. The flow of the film works perfectly and editing was very well done. From a technical side of things (which is side I normally work on) everything is also very well done. There is no major tech. stuff to point out. Only minor one I have is that the end credits are a little bouncy. This is probably due to a rendering issue. Let me also say that I would have prefer to seen more of the love scene but I am guy (so you can chalk that up to a guy factor).

So overall I rate it a 9/10. It is worth the watch if you fan of Indies and/or short films.

ps. sorry for bad grammar or spelling.

Good story and acting, but too short

[Masson26 · 7/10 · 24 April 2010]

"The Cure" was an interesting an well made short film. The acting is pretty good, although none of the on-screen characters have any lines, as they are all left to the narrator. The directing and cinematography where also well done with a very good single song soundtrack to go along with it. The story was a basic although interesting revenge story, and the narration was crisp and well written. The Movie however, was definitely too short, and I wasn't crazy about the idea of the whole story being told through a narrator,it was very reminiscent of a music video. Still however, well worth watching and a better than average short. I certainly look forward to viewing the future works of director Ryan Jafri, as well as those from the lead actress Mollie Cheeks

Intense Short

[lbaker-20 · 8/10 · 24 September 2009]

The Cure uses voice over to create an intense mood. Although the VO accounts for all of the film's lines it amazingly does not take away from the visual story. The use of multiple film stocks add a lot of texture to the story. The choice of combining b & w and color worked nicely to enhance the leaps in time. The ending will make you jump despite being able to anticipate the result. I was especially enjoyed the thrill of the film's suspense. The close-ups for the love scene are also lovely and reflect a tasteful eye. The piece is quite short but accomplishes a lot. The tight editing really helps to show off what a short film can do. Worth watching more than once!

The Cure for the common short

[danta-2 · 7/10 · 2 August 2009]

I admit I had no idea what to expect before viewing this highly stylized piece. It could have been the cure for a zombie virus or the common cold for all I knew. It began with great visuals, little snippets to grab your attention and cause your imagination to run wild. As it continued I learned quickly through voice overs what was taking place. A nice little neo noir story that I felt was not a waist of a few minutes of my time. The little clues given to the audience through visuals at the beginning give them a sense of accomplishment as they piece together the plot. Along with a nice twist at the end its a cool package overall. The score, though not bad, gave the film almost a music video feel. It just felt a little dated, not adding anything to further the storyline. Some of the performances felt overly dramatic but fit perfectly with the feel of the overall piece. I walk away from this very satisfied. I was given a lot of information in a short period of time but through great editing and voice-over work it didn't feel rushed or pushed. Great job!

No words spoken, but it did

[pbaek-18625 · 9/10 · 27 February 2018]

I had a chance to see this short film, THE CURE, by Ryan Jafri, and all I can say is that it was well made. Even though it is a short film, I expect a good story that is not cliché. I do believe that the little kick at the end was refreshing because it was not typical. I also did appreciate camera angles and the use of hour glass. Every scene was well throughout and carefully executed. I would recommend this film to anyone who is looking for a fresh short film.

Well Made Film

[mightyknight-89703 · 10/10 · 29 June 2017]

I liked this film. It was well made and most important, riveting.

The plot goes like this:

Kristine Watts, who is played by Mollie Weeks, meets a man she falls in love with. Then one day she sees him with another woman. Emotionally crushed, Kristine decides she is going to make it right.

What I liked: I liked the way the film was shot, and how it seamlessly flowed from memory to present time. The the films build up where the viewer knows something was about to happen. I really liked the use of the hourglass to signify urgency. The best things is that this film goes beyond any expectation of what the viewer thinks would happen.

I'm not going to spoil the end but I think this is a film many would enjoy. WATCH IT.

Keep your eyes on director Ryan Jafri!

[RobertHolik · 10/10 · 11 April 2010]

I was contacted by director Ryan Jafri because of his interest in my blog and he asked me if I could watch and review his short film. I'm always honored and I feel very happy that people would want my opinions on their films. I started this blog just for fun, to see people's reactions etc. Now on to the film. It's very well shot and the actors are good as well, although could have been better, as with most films in my opinion. When I see a lot of films some questions always comes to mind, "What if someone else played that role?", "Would another actor do it better or screw it all up completely?". When it starts out I was a little confused what it was about although the whole thing will be explained in the film, I love these kind of films where you are left with only a few clues but it all evens out perfectly during the end of the movie, this is one of those movie shorts. It's very original and the score is great, probably the best of the movie because it creates the whole tension perfectly. However I have to give a lot of praise to Jafri because he's not only the director but he wrote this and produced it as well. Hell, for a first timer this movie is amazing, far better than I expected! These are the kind of projects my acting side of me would love to do, all new, brilliant ORIGINAL ideas. Also, this short is a two time award winning short, so it's worth checking out for sure, because this way, you know it's good for sure! The thing I love the most is the poster! So great and looks like a real movie that could open up at any big cinema anywhere. All together a great, entertaining film! The ending is quite surprising, but in a good way, lifts the whole movie up to the sky! This director will make it big for sure, keep your eyes on him! The only negative thing I have to say is that it could have, SHOULD HAVE been longer as it seemed a little rushed to me. 8/10 For more information on this great short, go to: http://www.jafripictures.com/

Jafri shines, comments whine

[ndnb1 · 10/10 · 5 December 2009]

Not sure if it was right or wrong, but I read thru the other comments before watching the short.I have to say I disagree with most of the negative comments or problems people have had with it.

As a first time "Lone Wolf" director/producer,I like to see things that I can aspire to,not necessarily from the pro's, but by people just getting their feet wet like me.

If indeed this is also from a first-timer,as I read,I applaud the effort.Marvelous job then in that respect! There were some comments about the music.I thought it was quite nice for the piece.Some say it kind of droned along for a while, but I found that created tension without(us)necessarily being conscious of it, and when he pulled the gun out and the guitar started crunching chords,it was like we knew there was a train on the tracks, but realize it is just now moving. Yes there is a 180 degree slip/clip in there, but shi* happens.Did anyone else see Hugh's dirty shirt turn white (near the end,in the rain) in "Australia"? Look how much money and people were behind that movie! Give the kid a break for Gods sake! All in all I think it was very well done. Only 2 things I would have mentioned are hardly worth mentioning-Don't walk up to a shiny brass picture frame with the camera, and I would have just displayed the splatter at the beginning shots to a still shot, so people wouldn't necessarily know what it is.

My experience so far has taught me that it's not that it's hard to make a movie,it just takes time to learn how to do it,then the time to actually do it, and then you better take some more time still to think of all the details you'll need to have shot before you call "post-production time!" IMHO, it looks like director/writer Ryan Jafri did his homework, and if this indeed is his first report card, I'd give him an "A". The rest of you report to the principals office for a whuppin'.

Edge of your seat suspense with brilliant ending

[charlesbisset · 9/10 · 25 October 2016]

The Cure is a fantastic film with suspenseful qualities that kept me at the edge of my seat the whole way through. The short film is a beautifully written story of love, betrayal and violence that culminates in an unexpected, but truly visionary ending. My favorite part of the film was the score throughout that represented the mood of certain scenes and the feelings of the characters involved. Another part of the film I enjoyed was the depiction in the beginning of the hourglass and blood-stained mirror that foreshadowed the ending. When the woman's ex lover was murdered, I thought the film was completed and I was a bit disappointed. But when the hit-man entered the woman's room and killed her as well, I was blown away. There is nothing better in film then an ending that leaves the audience speechless and The Cure definitely delivers on that front. Ryan Jafri is a truly talented director and writer and I am looking forward to seeing what he will come up with next.

A beautifully shot introspective thriller

[rbhamiltoniv · 8/10 · 2 May 2010]

"The Cure" is a beautifully shot introspective thriller about a young woman's struggle with love, obsession, and betrayal. Technically, the film is professional. The lighting and camera work are top notch and the editing is seamless. The acting is sufficient as the film is entirely told through narration. As another reviewer mentioned the voice over is emotionless and haunting (in a Travis Bickle fashion). The score is dark, intense, but at times distracting. It occasionally becomes much like a well told music video. The story is both simple and complex. Mr. Jafri took a common tale and turned it into an original piece of artwork. I commend him.

As a writer/director myself, I am pleasantly surprised by the look and professionalism of this first time filmmaker. One must be able to tell a simple story well if they are going to succeed. Mr. Jafri has done just that. Congratulations to him, his crew, and his actors for a job well done.

Photography- 10/10

Score-6/10

Originality- 7/10

Screenplay- 9/10

Overall- 8/10--- Highly Recommend

Sometimes, the end is the cure

[Timothyyy · 30 November 2009]

I had pleasure to watch the short film "The Cure", by first time director Ryan Jafri. What really impress me are the camera work and music.

I think many young filmmakers (as I myself am one of them) would experience hard time with cinematography when just start making of an indie. We see the output are not exactly what we imaged or below our ambitions. But this film, directorial debut from a young director, handled very well on screen. The camera motion, color, lighting, compositing all contribute to the story and emotion of the film.

And music, as a key element of film language, helps a great deal too.

It's hard to portray a woman's heart, her desire, her fear, especially in a short. But still, I have to admit I am not a fan of v/o (narration), especially when the film is advanced by narration, instead of shots and cuts. My personal feeling to some of the narrative part is, my guess was the narrator tried a bit too hard. So the energy pushes audience back from the emotion of the film.

Overall, it's a short film nicely done, I could see the input from a director. Way to go, Ryan! Greeting from China, looking forward to your next.

tim