With a Mysterious duffle bag in hand, a 12 year old takes us on an introspective journey of the city and into the remote countryside of upstate New York.
Described on its website as an ‘understated story’, narratively, BAG MAN would have to be described as somewhat of a slow-burner. Following its protagonist ‘Boy’ as he makes an unexplained journey from the urban hustle of Harlem, to the quiet countryside outside the city, it’s about 8-minutes into the film before we discover the reason for his mysterious trip. The delivery of a story is often a big concern when it comes to picking shorts to feature on our site and pace is something we think about and talk about a lot in the world of online curation. For me, BAG MAN had enough intrigue and atmosphere to hold my attention for this extended opening and whether it was Judah Bellamy’s assured performance, or the simmering tone the filmmakers had set, my attention never wavered…I was hooked. By the time you reach the film’s rewarding conclusion, you completely understand the calculated pacing of its opening and any doubt you had about the film’s approach are eradicated by its clever change of pace and tone…
Genre: Drama, Sci Fi
Director: Jonathan and Josh Baker
Production Company: Red Bike Blue Bike
Duration: 15 Minutes
Visit www.shortoftheweek.com for the full synopsis
