TBFF17 Film Review - Life is Too Short.

The end of the world is a topic frequently revisited in film. It's explored through big budget blockbusters focused on how to stop it like Deep Impact, Armageddon and the recent Interstellar. In other instances a more sublet approach is crafted as in Don McKellar's Last Night or Lars von Trier's Melancholia.  Life Is Too Short takes the subtle route.  The film opens in a barbershop with the local homeless lady giving a frantic warning that the end of days is near. From there the story shifts to 4 independent plots of New Yorkers working through complexities in their lives and relationships unaware that the end of the world is at hand. Marcus (Kazy Tauginas) is trying finally land a recurring role as an actor despite a mountain of rejections. He continues to do his urban gang member routine even if it's unsuitable for the role.  His daughter Krystal (Thatcher Johnson-Welden) is his biggest fan while her mom thinks he aught to grow up and get a real job. Tom (Dory Manzour) is a closeted gay man feeling pressure from his boyfriend Joel (Lester Greene) to tell his priest father the truth.

The most compelling story centres around Jennifer (Nelcie Souffrant) who sees psychiatrist Tracy (Natasa Babic) while she contemplates telling her new steady David (Cengiz Dervis) about a serious issue.

Director Antoine Allen weaves in and out of the trials and tribulation of the ensembles daily lives. The narrative focuses on standard issues in the secondary stories, commitments, work life balance, with a couple of criminal elements mixed in. The piece also addresses moral and societal issues in the major threads mentioned above.  

The end of the world element is a device in the background putting the onus on the individuals to deal with personal and professional relationships head on as tomorrow is promised to no one. Nelcie Souffrant is the standout member of the cast as Jennifer. She has a significant personal issue that she is working through with her psychiatrist professionally while having to deal with the ramifications of it privately.

The story has some segments that rise above the others but the piece as a whole has a valuable message to communicate to its audience. It's best to deal with disputes and hard choices in an active manner. If you don't the moment could pass and you may not be able to get it back.

*** Out of 4.

Life is Too Short | Antoine Allen | USA | 2015 | 73 Minutes.

Tags; H.I.V, Affair, Homosexuality, Psychiatry, Mourning, The Church, Corporate Ladder, Robber,
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