★★★★
Directed by: James Kibbey
Written by: James Kibbey, Kevin Mears
Starring: Hugo Chegwin, Felicity Montagu, David Schaal
,,Film Review by: ,,Jason Knight
Sometimes people need to reveal their secrets, in order to get things of their chest.
A married couple and their son are sitting around a table, at a posh-looking restaurant, to eat and chat. The son, Alex (Chegwin), has decided that he wants to tell his parents something about himself. After he has done so, the father, Frank (Schaal), finds that this would be a good time to reveal one of his own secrets. And finally, the mother, Patricia (Montagu), also makes the decision to tell them about her own little secret!
Almost the entire story takes place while the three protagonists are sitting down and talking. The script is very well written, with interesting characters and all three go through their own character development. The narrative is rather exciting, making the audience wonder what each person’s announcement is going to be and how the other two are going to react towards it. the nature of the secrets and the characters’ reactions make this film a comedy.
All three protagonists deliver outstanding and entertaining performances and are obviously having a lot of fun with their characters! Chegwin wonderfully portrays the insecure, worried son, while Schaal is terrific as the serious father. And Montagu is delightful as the cheeky, cheerful, sympathetic mum! The three are formally dressed and their manners and behavior indicate that they are respectable people, who care deeply for each other.
Another aspect that makes this short a pleasure to watch is the setting. As mentioned almost the whole narrative happens while the family are sitting in the restaurant, and the decorations do look luxurious, with many beautiful paintings decorating the walls.
The music is quite appealing. The film begins with a piece that sounds innocent and comedic. The music heard during the conversations is jazz or blues, the kind one would expect to experience in a fancy restaurant.
The Announcement is an enjoyable short film. The awkward atmosphere that is created by the convincing acting and clever screenplay, make this piece of work a must-see!
#JasonKnight
https://vimeo.com/423260465
