Short Film Review: "Molly Robber" Is A Kinetic And Stylish Comedy
Molly Robber is written and directed by Austin Hall and Zach Visvikis, a young Los Angeles-based filmmaking duo. The film was made during their senior year at NYU Tisch as their Thesis Film, and it recently screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and received the Audience Choice Award at last year’s Austin Film Festival. In just 14 brisk minutes, Hall and Visvikis take you for a breezy and comical ride teeming with energy and style.
A high-school dropout (Chelsea Lopez) in desperate need of cash plans to rob her drug dealer (Tristan Ott), but when her anime-obsessed step-brother (Elim Uraimov) sneaks along for the ride, things get complicated.
Molly Robber cuts the brake line and puts the pedal to the metal. This extraordinarily snappy and immensely entertaining comedy travels an astounding distance in just under 15 minutes. Not only do writer/directors Austin Hall and Zach Visvikis sculpt an incredibly taut narrative that takes you for a ride, they also fill it to the brim with vibrant characters and somehow sustain its high-octane spirit until the very end, delivering a post-credit scene that throws in one last hilarious jab before finally calling it quits. Imagine the style, energy, and cheekiness of filmmakers like Edgar Wright, Guy Richie, or Quentin Tarantino, and you’ll be somewhere in the ballpark.
The film centers around Baker (Chelsea Lopez), a rebellious teen who’s broke and about to be evicted. Hall and Visvikis drop us directly in the story as Baker storms out of her job, middle finger raised, after punching out her boss, stealing his watch — a vintage Casio — and busting out the shop’s glass door as a mic-drop exit. Her half-baked solution to obtain the necessary cash to keep her residence in her dad (Barry Bostwick) and step-mom’s house is to rob her highly paranoid molly dealer, Braydon (Tristan Ott). The only catch is she’s been saddled with her anime-obsessed half-brother, Trout (Elim Uraimov), who she views mostly as an annoyance. Together, this unlikely duo goes on an adventure that’ll unite them forever.
With a tireless energy, the film blazes along, cruising from scene to scene with grace and ease. It grabs you from the first frame and never really loosens its grip. Although the specifics of the story aren’t wholly original, Hall and Visvikis work them in clever and amusing ways. They’re playful with the form, incorporating fourth-wall direct addresses (a la Malcolm in the Middle, or more appropriately Ari Aster’s 2014 short Basically) and humorous gags built around title cards (amongst other things), and know exactly how to build toward a meaningful payoff. Similar to Aster’s Basically, Molly Driver is the kind of film that starts a bit crude (in terms of character) and slows deepens to become surprisingly moving.
Hall and Visvikis use voiceover narration to keep the story propelling forward, but they don’t use it as a crutch. They know exactly how much to include and when to deviate, blending in the fourth-wall breaking direct addresses (mentioned above), montages, and flashbacks to keep things feeling fresh. They also have a strong visual eye and an affection for kinetic camera moves, both of which keep the viewer locked in. The film’s lovably animated characters (who are all very well cast and performed — particularly Camron Jones’ Riley), as well as the excellent cinematography (from Morgan Gardiner) and editing (from Melvin En DeChamber — which seems like a probable pseudonym for the directors maybe), also help to make the film a smooth and entertaining experience.
Although there’s a bit of wobble to its third act, Molly Driver builds toward a memorable conclusion that weaves all its smaller narrative elements together in a pretty satisfying way. The film has a strong comedic chomp and a wonderful energy. It’s well acted, neatly assembled, and executed with panache, branding Hall and Visvikis as two filmmakers to keep your eye on.
Recommendation: If you’re a fan of the snappy style of Edgar Wright, Guy Richie, or Quentin Tarantino, definitely give this heartfelt heist short a watch!
Rating: 4.5 Casio time pieces outta 5.
Hungry for more?! Check out the link below:
Interview with Austin Hall and Zach Visvikis about Molly Driver
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!