Brandon Young gives a strong, natural performance as an actor who is torn between waiting for a big break - or any break - and accepting an offer to perform in an adult film. There's nothing new about this plotline, but then there's nothing new about most plotlines. The execution takes the matter seriously without devolving into misery porn (no pun intended), leaving you in the mind of a man who is trying to feel out a very difficult choice.
Just as he's near the point of no going back, his friend (a good performance from Aurelio Reyes), arrives on the set, telling him he's gotten the job he auditioned for at the start of the short. Young immediately quits, and you might think well this is rushed and seems like a bit of a copout, but at least the door was always open for this twist.
Unfortunately, the final scene, after he leaves, is purely comedic, with Reyes talking his way into taking his friend's place, saps away any of the dramatic material or character work up to this point (and nothing about his character in his earlier scene suggests such a sharp left turn in tone), It also makes the choice Young faced seem more trivial after being treated here as a joke.
This is still worth a watch, and I give praise to those who spent time and money getting this made, but maybe just don't bother with the last scene.
Just as he's near the point of no going back, his friend (a good performance from Aurelio Reyes), arrives on the set, telling him he's gotten the job he auditioned for at the start of the short. Young immediately quits, and you might think well this is rushed and seems like a bit of a copout, but at least the door was always open for this twist.
Unfortunately, the final scene, after he leaves, is purely comedic, with Reyes talking his way into taking his friend's place, saps away any of the dramatic material or character work up to this point (and nothing about his character in his earlier scene suggests such a sharp left turn in tone), It also makes the choice Young faced seem more trivial after being treated here as a joke.
This is still worth a watch, and I give praise to those who spent time and money getting this made, but maybe just don't bother with the last scene.