smile

smile! (thanks corinna)



the script has such a good, simple recurring theme that branches just enough to build up the plot before wrapping up in a classic romantic ending. very tidy, slightly longer than your typical youtube short film. a good watch for a morning of procrastination and life reevaluation.

not that i am a film critic, but from my brief few semesters of mit film class, what struck me about this clip is the camera work. i stand by my belief that black and white makes everything more professional and classier. but i also really liked the cuts from closeups on facial expression (it is about smiling, after all) to wider shots of the environment the people are in. it was easy to identify parallel scenes - like when newman returns to the places he wooed victoria (theatre, cafe patio), and the similar signs of Validation and Passport Photos.

*spoiler* the only part that stood out was the moment he photographed the woman in the wheelchair. It didn't really jump out until when he met up with victoria again, and she mentioned the word "mother." in my mind that was a classic "stick a plot foreshadowing element in and try to disguise it in a montage" trick, because that's what i do. but it's ok. the film was fun. everyone needs to be validated once in a while.