Lights! Camera! Action!

starring: COSETTE HATCH & SAM MYERSON

SYNOPSIS

Clyde enlists background actress Violet to play the role of his long-lost sister to fulfill his father’s dying wish to be reunited with her. Living together they start to fall in love…

REVIEW

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can you feel nostalgic for something that only came out last year? I forgot how good this was. It feels like a classic, and a welcome change of pace after some of the recent soft core type series that seem to be in vogue.

This is how you make a movie. The style. The performances. It feels like classic Hollywood helped by Sam Myerson looking like a matinee idol, Cosette Hatch the perfect leading lady (who reminds me of Claudette Colbert) and even Lloyd channeling Cary Grant with that moustache.

Just the details, love that Ben (Douglas Jung) has those horn-rimmed glasses, and even the house reminds me a bit of Hearst Castle.

Now I am watching with an eye on the awards I am running, Cosette Hatch has to be nominated for best actress in a comedy for this performance. Her timing, her expressions, her asides to the camera. No wonder Clyde falls head over heels for her.

I haven't seen Sam Myerson in enough. He has this old fashioned charm, and debonair air, coupled with a real sadness when he thinks he has lost Violet.

I adore the villainous trio of Diane Box Worman, Krista Hedins and Aaron Smithson - would love to know if that hand break was improvised. And it is all the sweeter as, unlike most vert villains they aren't making up lies, they are right all along!

Then Eli Jane has one of the best entrances vamping up that doorway as Lily, and gets to be dismissive and rude to Violet without slapping her or calling her a who#$. You don't need that when you have a good writer and actress

Plus, the fabulous Darrel Haynes, who makes a few short scenes with Adam, some of the best in the whole thing.

And Wendy, I forgot how much I love Kate Ky Johnston, who always brings it in every vertical she is in

So much to love
- the crazy opening with the zombie movie
- the best swimming pool rescue I have seen in verts (and there have been a lot)
- Violet's wink to Clyde that she is ok
- the random drug deal they at the restaurant
- Eva's spiky leather jacket
- Violet kneeing Mr Smith after he says 'you're just a woman living in a world run by men'

This is how you make a classic. Genius writer, styling and cast.

A personal plea, can we have a lot more of this type of vert and less of the sex?

💖 Top swoonworthy moment:

Every time Clyde get angry when Violet puts herself in danger and goes above and beyond, from the swimming pool to Mr Smith and the scene in the car afterwards is perfection. Then the fact he is willing to just settle for Violet being by his side if that is all he can get.

🦹🏼‍♂️ Top villain award:

So much love for the villain trio of Sharon, Eva and Tony. Oh the irony that they are actually right, she is a fraud! I especially loved the villain huddle and hand break . And poor Tony at the end, unintentionally saving the day.

😂 Comedy gold:

The entire bathroom scene, from Violet’s award acceptance speech, thank you to showers, to the comedy fall, and then Clyde carrying her out and Ruby panicking “Sir are you going to throw her away?” is comedy genius.

🎺 Unsung hero:

I could choose so many people, but it has to be Adam (Darrel Haynes). Did he ever get that pet turtle? And the way he tears up when he finds out how Violet spent the money. Plus the only person I have seen who looks good in those silk neck scarf things.

✍🏼 DETAILS

director: Yaxing Lin | writer: Sophie Xiong | 2024

Available on Reelshort