This short looks at the life of New York bar tender Utah, who works unsociable shifts at The International bar. We see him go about his work, while at the same time he is interviewed about his work, his relationships outside of the bar, and the struggles of balancing both.
The plot/subject may not sound particularly fascinating and frankly there is a reason for that – because it is not the most gripping short you'll see. It is very contained and almost folded in on itself in the way that it doesn't seek to push for big moments or have a narrative, but it still works because of how it is structured and delivered. Seemingly taking its inspiration from cinéma vérité, the film is a mix of observational scenes where Utah just goes about his business, but also interviews which are much more traditional in their documentary approach. The blend is sometimes within the same frame or one over the other, or separated totally but the combination generally works well to give an impression of a person and life at the moment. I also liked that the subject was a barman – the general "everyman" of films and life.
The vérité style does have a downside which is that the film isn't particularly sharp and gripping, so I can understand why some do not like it, because it does take a bit of patience even though it is only 16 minutes long. It is naturally delivered though, with the camera doing a good job of being unobtrusive (even in the direct interview scenes) and Utah himself coming over as very real and natural, to the point I wondered if he was really this person – which I guess is a good place for a performance to end up. Well worth a look for its engaging honesty and low-key realism.
The plot/subject may not sound particularly fascinating and frankly there is a reason for that – because it is not the most gripping short you'll see. It is very contained and almost folded in on itself in the way that it doesn't seek to push for big moments or have a narrative, but it still works because of how it is structured and delivered. Seemingly taking its inspiration from cinéma vérité, the film is a mix of observational scenes where Utah just goes about his business, but also interviews which are much more traditional in their documentary approach. The blend is sometimes within the same frame or one over the other, or separated totally but the combination generally works well to give an impression of a person and life at the moment. I also liked that the subject was a barman – the general "everyman" of films and life.
The vérité style does have a downside which is that the film isn't particularly sharp and gripping, so I can understand why some do not like it, because it does take a bit of patience even though it is only 16 minutes long. It is naturally delivered though, with the camera doing a good job of being unobtrusive (even in the direct interview scenes) and Utah himself coming over as very real and natural, to the point I wondered if he was really this person – which I guess is a good place for a performance to end up. Well worth a look for its engaging honesty and low-key realism.