The Fuzz Review
The Fuzz is a 2016 short film written and directed by Grant Alexander King.
A smartly written film that takes a great pseudo-documentary approach to character study, The Fuzz delivers on genuine humor and heartbreak.
Framed in a documentary like narrative structure, we follow police offer Ray as portrayed by Alastair Thomson Mills throughout what appears to be just another ordinary day walking the beat. Through clever use of direct camera address we slowly find out more about what is the truth and the embellishments in this officer’s life.
The pace of the piece starts off with quick moving and almost jarring edits that quickly acclimates the viewer into a style of cutaways and moments that follow Ray’s dialogue to the camera.
The cinematography from Matthew King is naturalistic but shines in moments where our scenery is more traditionally narrative versus the heavy use of a raw documentary format. The frenetic camerawork on display is great throughout as well.
Everyone featured in the film brings a strong acting talent to the film with Severine Vasselin playing a key supporting role as Ray’s wife. Mills is of course the standout here, seeming completely comfortable and confident in his portrayal.
Overall, this is a clever short film that takes its time showcasing a character with two distinct versions of himself. To really set up what is a shocking ending, the film invites the viewer into his warm nature that is almost just as quickly dismantled. It is a fascinating and poignant character study that stands even taller in the lens that is 2021.
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Cheers!
Daniel Hess
Film Festival and Award Highlights:
UK Film Festival 2016 Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2017
Manchester Film Festival 2017
London Independent Film Festival 2017
Liverpool Independent Film Festival 2017
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