Just Like Another Day – Short Film Review

★

Directed by: #SudiptoNag

Starring: #AmitavaNag, #PratimaManna, #SayanKar

Short Film Review by Taryll Baker

I’m not really sure what the intention was with this short film from Sudipto Nag. Just Like Another Day is, well, just like another short film. Not to say that’s a bad thing — it isn’t — but most of the shorts I’ve had the pleasure of watching have achieved much in their runtime, or pushed boundaries and raised bars. Nag’s efforts here are underwhelming, to say the least.

I’d comment on the story but there really isn’t much of one. We experience a day in the life of an older gentleman; he reads a book, eats his meal, takes a phone call and then… well, I’m not so sure what happened or why. In terms of actual verbal delivery, there’s a minimal amount of dialogue and when there is, it’s not the most pleasant sounding. No thanks to the very low quality sound recording, almost every line is flooded with external environmental sounds and because of that, the volume was turned up louder, with no attempt to remove said sounds or at least dampen them. This is clearly a very rough, threadbare production even beyond what is captured in front of the camera.

I don’t discredit the cast and crew of their enthusiasm to make films, but this is perhaps more of a draft, acting as a learning experience, rather than something worth sharing to anyone more than close friends and family. The music used was ineffective, the cast did their best with the story, the sound and editing was lacking. If I were to add a positive note, I like the determination in the camerawork. It’s shaky and amateur but I do see some inspiration behind it. Interesting angles, even if the execution was a little subpar.

It’s often saddening when you watch a film, no matter how big or small, but can’t find any attachment or intrigue. As a huge film nerd and fan, I look for anything and everything that I could possibly find enjoyment in. That could be something as small as a clothing choice, a camera angle, a colour grade. Or more drastically a story, a character, a terrific score. When those are sparse, few and far between, it’s difficult to grasp the director’s idea(s).

Unfortunately, Just Like Another Day just didn’t feel very inviting or engaging in any way, but I like to see the potential in budding filmmakers and so I’d be interested to see what Sudipto Nag tries next. It can only go up from here, and as with every single project, lessons are learned and techniques are acquired.

#TaryllBaker