The Preacher, the Dealer and the Girl with Concealer Review
The Preacher, the Dealer and the Girl with Concealer is a 2021 extended short film written and directed by Edward Shaw.
Defined characters and a solid overarching plot keep things entertaining but technical shortcomings and sudden shifts in those same character dynamics inevitably hold back The Preacher, the Dealer and the Girl with Concealer from becoming more.
If there is one thing that can be noted to most filmmakers out there from this film it is that any short piece that goes past the 30-minute mark is a tad too long, or it should be extended into a feature film. Otherwise, the timing is just a bit awkward. While it would be unfair to say this will constitute a bad viewing experience, it is something that should always be considered.
What is well done about this piece is the way in which we are shown characters. They are all well defined and we understand who they are as well as their motivations very quickly. It is so efficient out of the gate that scenes that follow almost seem a bit too long in comparison.
On top of that the main story beats of the web in which all of these characters are interconnected is also well handled. It makes for an ending that carries some weight, even if there are a few issues (which will be addressed shortly) that hold it from having an even stronger punch up.
The real flaw of the piece is in the way that the characters seem to flip flop on who they are. The main drug dealer mentor for example carries a coolness about him which is actually the stand out performance of the film. However, his sudden switch to regretting what he is doing feels sudden and a little forced. The same goes for the preacher who wants to change but shuts down at the drop of a hat.
The characters seem to alter who they are for the sake of the story which is why the ending is something that you see coming but also lacks real emotional depth. This is again the downfall of the extended short in this case. We aren’t allowed to really let characters become defined enough to care as much when we are only learning important pieces of who they are in a scene or two before.
Something that perhaps would have worked better is if the dealer would have been on his way out from the get go. Finally, on the brink of leaving the seedy world, when something could eventually happen to destroy this goal. Call it cliché, but it might have carried a bit more weight than just slapping that motivation on out of the blue.
The Preacher, the Dealer and the Girl with Concealer is not a poor film, but it either needed to be shortened or extended to get it away from the awkward in between state it carries now. It is great seeing such lively defined characters, but they needed to stay true to who they are while growing as well. It is great to see such a large and ambitious interconnected storyline but it just needed to find a little more of a sweet spot in length.
To follow on social media: Instagram and Website
Cheers!
Daniel Hess
For more reviews and content stick with To Tony Productions and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to stay up to date!