Wale(2018)

WALE - Trailer from Barnaby Blackburn on Vimeo.
The fact that WALE has made the Oscar Short List for Live Action Shorts vexes me. It's not that it isn't a bad film, it's quite good for what it is. On the other hand out side of the great look and feel of the film it isn't all that special.

Actually part of the problem with the film is that what the film is supposed to be about, and what it really is about are two entirely different things and almost two different movies.

What the film is billed as is the story of an 18 year old kid with a criminal record who is struggling to start his own business. The thing is that it is a jumping off point for a thriller where the kid is being set up by a husband for the murder of his wife. While that may have worked in a feature in a short it doesn't quite hold together because threads are left hanging. There is a feeling that so much more could have been and should have been said. Frankly this should have either been either the story of trying to set up the business or the set up but not both.

I do like the film as a hole and I absolutely love the camera work, editing and music, but I don't think it's enough to get it an Oscar especially when there are other, better short listed films.

Ultimately it's worth a look but nothing you need search out.