Still, My Darling Review

Still, My Darling is a 2021 short film directed by Max Barrett.

A short film brimming with deep emotional introspection tackling growth against grief, Still, My Darling is a lovingly crafted metaphor for processing the many stages of moving on with life.

There is no simple way to really categorize this short film, it is really just essential viewing for the sheer universality that it contains. The vague vignettes are crafted in a way that most anyone in the world can find something to relate to it.

That is something that strikes one as a mark of a skilled storyteller, someone who can provide a story that you can connect with but doesn’t alienate at the same time.

This is also a piece that commands multiple viewings, the many layers of imagery, voiceover, and text are all at first almost overwhelming. With each subsequent watch, though, the pieces all connect to each stage shown during.

Again the beauty lies in how this could to applied to those who are dealing with the death of a loved one, to a breakup, all the way to just losing a friend. It would be fascinating to sit down with a group of people to see what they all take away from it, because I’m sure every answer would be a little different.

Personally it reads as a reflection on a relationship but going deeper perhaps dealing with the loss of a parent or parents. Themes from both seemed to come up and the way in which they are explored is beautiful.

There is a melancholic nostalgia that coats all the imagery here and the use of stills only helps to reinforce that. An especially beautiful standout moment was the photo pieces falling in the sink. How they all fell into place was strangely cathartic.

Overall, Still, My Darling captures that reflective heartbeat we all carry around with us. Those rainy days where we sit with an old photo album and think back to memories of yesterday. Longing not to forget what makes us who we are today, but also reminding us that what we do tomorrow is just as important.

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Cheers!

Daniel Hess

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