The Greyness of Autumn

At the start of this film I thought it was going to be another depressing reality short movie but then up jumped a goose sock puppet or maybe Danny is a duck or an ostrich not quite sure? Either way the film quickly turned from a reality check to a comedy situation mocking real life in a way I have always enjoyed probably dating back to the days I used to watch the Muppet's destroy a stage production.

The story is about Danny living a very ordinary life in Scotland, he works in a dull call centre but hates the job with a passion. Danny lives with a puppet monkey who sits around the flat all day eating junk food and watching daytime TV, the interaction between the two characters is witty and enjoyable and you instantly warm to both even though they are both one of life's losers.

Danny's life is detailed in the film with his story going from bad to worse but every step of the way even at his lowest points you find yourself laughing at the comments and situation he finds himself in probably because most people can relate to it.

For a short film with a very low budget the acting/production/cinematography and directing is very good but the highlight for me is the writing, Chris and Andy are very talented guys and I look forward to seeing more of their work in the future.

Danny McGuire is a peculiar person similar to the comic styling of Louie CK. The short film is narrated by him and it progresses through the troubles in his life going from bad to worse. I was expecting to hear the sad tale of a man who no longer fit into society. Much to my surprise I saw a sock puppet with a beak. Then I saw another puppet; a monkey with a particular fetish for cornflakes and soft core porn. Just the addition of these two elements changed the drama to a comedy; a black comedy with a delicious taste of sarcasm. Suddenly the dialogue was different. The comments Danny made about his life although dreary and morose seemed comical. The situations turned from bad to worse; all because of the addition of a puppet. I don't know if it is the stigma of society that when we see a puppet, no matter how depressing things are, there is always a bright side of life.

Such a strong message is portrayed by brilliant writer and director Chris Quick. The integration of cinematic elements and the comedic use of puppets also reminds me of Seth McFarlane's Ted. The comedic genius of the dialog from both Chris Quick and Andy S. McEwan address the social commentary about the human condition and the power of perception. Despite its low budget feel, the laughs contained in the dialog will only have you wanting more. I am looking forward to the next project from this team.