Got a chance to check out indie short BROKEN recently. Writer/director Alex Ferrari has put together a truly professional looking DVD with packaging that looks as good as a studio release and over three hours of Special Features for the 20 minute flick. So is the gift as good as all the pretty wrapping? Read on.
WHAT WORKED:
The technical merits of this puppy are outstanding. The whole thing looks far more expensive than the reported $8000 that it cost to make. All the F/X, particularly the gun play, are about as convincing as I’ve seen in an indie production. The lighting and cinematography are well thought out and well realized. Clearly this is the work of people who know how to shoot and edit a film.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK:
Sadly, the concept, script and acting are all a mess. The story of a young woman who is more than she seems, who finds herself in unexplained jeopardy with a mysterious benefactor trying to save her is poorly explained and understandable only because it pulls from so many worn out cliches.
Adding to the difficulties are unconvincing characters across the board. Lead actress Samantha Jane Polay is flat on just about every note of her performance, and the uber-villain played by Paul Gordon chews the scenery like its made out of taffy. The best I can say is that some of the bad guys look the part. Some of them.
OVERALL:
There is a lot of behind the camera talent here in service of a project that doesn’t deserve it. It’d definitely be interesting to see what director Alex Ferrari could do with a better script and cast. One other note is that while this looks as good as something shot on DV can, I spent the whole time wishing they’d shot it on film. There’s an inherently Soap Opera-y feel to DV, and BROKEN does an excellent job showing that the look of film simply can’t be duplicated.