Short Film Review: "klutz." A Clumsy Emotional Drama
klutz. is set to premiere next Friday, September 4th at the 24th Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles. Written by Elizabeth Narciso and directed by Michelle Bossy, this quirky short film takes audiences on an emotional journey that often gets tripped up in its own laces.
Zowie is a struggling first-time novelist grieving over the loss of her sister, Lida, who supernaturally appears to her to help her through this difficult time.
klutz. is true to its name. Although it doesn’t fall flat on its face, it can’t exactly stand on its own two feet, either. The film lives almost entirely in the shadow of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, from its non-linear structure to its cinematic beach location (which echoes Eternal Sunshine’s Montauk in more than one way), but it’s sorely lacking in the imagination and emotional resonance that make the Michel Gondry/Charlie Kaufman team-up such a cerebrally poignant treat. However, where Kaufman looks through the lens of a relationship gone sour to ponder if we should erase painful people or memories, screenwriter Elizabeth Narciso looks through a lens of grief to explore just how much we should cling to the things that are gone.
The film follows Zowie (Malka Wallick), a writer who’s struggling with the loss of her sister, Lida (Mara Kassin). Spiraling out in her grief and trauma, Zowie indulges in alcohol to placate her feelings over her sister and her inability to get much writing done. However, in a bizarre supernatural twist, Zowie realizes that her pain is a means to reconnect with her dead sister, who happens to appear anytime she falls down or is hurt. When present, Lida pushes Zowie to get back on her feet and focus on her writing, which manifests itself in the form of a children’s book about a girl whose superpower is falling down. Although, the book struggles to find a publisher, Lida empowers Zowie to persevere through the hardship and pain.
The film’s non-linear structure gives the viewer pieces of the past mixed with the present, which help to plant the viewer in Zowie’s dizzying headspace. The continual jumping through time occasionally culminate in strong emotional beats and interesting moments of juxtaposition; however, there’s a lot of times where it keeps the viewer at arm’s length and only gives an illusion of depth. All of the characters here are pretty two-dimensional, and some (like Zowie’s husband/boyfriend) are such an afterthought that they may as well not even be there. A lot of the dialogue is clunky and awkward, and the actors occasionally struggle to deliver them in a way that feels convincing and real. The film’s humor is also hit or miss, but the blows that land give some necessary levity to the plot’s inherent heaviness.
There’s several small details that are overlooked or askew, from ill-timed edits to awkward framing. A perfect example of this is in a scene where Zowie is taking several meetings for her children’s book, which are all blurred together through cross cuts. While Zowie’s clothes change and some of the background scenery is slightly altered, it’s not enough to obscure the fact it’s the same exact location (the same orangish bulletin board appears in all three) , which lessens its impact and creates distraction. Some of the cinematography looks nice though, and it’s effectively used to create a clear differentiation between the film’s past and present segments. Additionally, Malka Wallick and Mara Kassin each give strong performances and create a believable sisterly bond.
Overall, klutz. is enjoyable enough for a short film, but didn’t exactly connect with us in a meaningful way. Although, it contains a few moments of inspired brilliance, it felt a bit too derivative and contained a lot of little things that added up over its short runtime, which ultimately impacted our ability to fully get behind it. If you’re attending the Dances With Films Festival or in the Los Angeles area, you can check out klutz. at the famed Chinese Theatre on Saturday, September 4 at 4pm. You can snag tickets here.
Rating: 2.5 levitations outta 5.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!