Bereaved Review
Bereaved is a 2021 short film written and directed by Jaron Herren.
A film that easily conveys deep emotions but cannot establish a connection to its characters, Bereaved saves its best moments for an ending that is sincere, if not a little hollow.
This is a short film that really has a solid understanding of emotions in a story, and it really sticks to the dramatic elements well, albeit bearing in mind these are moments that are tried and true by this point. Where the biggest misstep comes in the piece, though, is where we aren’t really drawn into the lives of these characters.
Starting the film off at what is assumed to be a party that our male protagonist seemingly stumbles on too just came across as a little awkward. Add to that an effect of having the few extras on hand standing still for dramatic effect just didn’t translate all that well here.
As the story goes further along, it gets better but the best moments all seem stuffed into the very ending which is the best part of the short by far. With some well-done camera blocking and longer takes there is a lot to enjoy in the last moments of the film but it comes a little too late.
There are still a fair number of cool concepts at play here, which one could see with larger scale and scope equipment would look stunning. The cinematography involving some shadows on the walls is well executed throughout.
Another subjective nitpick with the piece is the actors themselves. Performance wise there is a fine job here but the look of each character feels a touch too young, almost reminding one of a series like 16 and Pregnant.
Overall, it is undeniable that there are some noble concepts being explored by Herren and team, but with too much of a jarring opening act it is hard to stand behind these characters. The emotionality of everything is done well, and the ending is the standout feature of the short. It will be great to see how future projects develop from the talent exhibited here.
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Cheers!
Daniel Hess
Film Festival and Award Highlights:
Best Picture WA Made Film Festival
Award Winner Global Shorts Film Festival
Romance Rules Film Festival
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