Play Me, I'm Yours (2019) User Reviews

A beautiful and emotional story of hope and struggle. Loved it!

[ChristianLeFeuvre · 10/10 · 21 October 2019]

'Play Me I'm Yours' is an outstanding short film by director Dean Anderson. Layla, a young homeless girl is a very talented pianist and makes the odd bit of money busking, by playing the public piano in the city's train station. When Layla attends an audition, she faces difficulties. Her appearance doesn't 'fit in with what is expected', she is looked down upon from other musicians also auditioning and, most seriously, the toughest difficulty she faces daily, controlling her epilepsy. This is yet another stunningly acted and directed film, I say 'another' as Dean Anderson's other short film, the award-nominated 'Poof' was one of the most compelling, emotive short films I have seen in a long time. This film is just as incredible. The story is extremely well-paced, the direction and cinematography are beautifully done and the acting is outstanding. Mireia Oriol who plays Layla is simply marvellous. Her desperation to succeed, her anguish over seemingly 'failing' the audition, and her struggle through an epileptic seizure are all played with such believability. The imagery of the seizure scene is wonderfully done, so creative, and a very powerful piece of film-making. Tineke Ann Robson stars as Adeline Anderson, the musical director Layla has to audition for, and there are some beautiful moments between the two. When Adeline finally gets to hear Layla play, the look of pride is almost maternal and I truly felt the connection between them. I can't fault this film and it has some beautifully subtle meanings in scenes too. I showed it to a friend who said "it's a shame that when she played the piano at the end there wasn't a crowd around her to see how good she is", I thought if that happened it would have taken away the loneliness and 'outsider' feeling Layla faces daily. No, it was perfectly set, perfectly played out and very emotional. This is a fantastic film and, alongside 'Poof', another 'must-see' from Dean Anderson.