CURFEW

Directed by Shawn Christensen (2012)

 The film is based on how a child saves a man from suicide.

At the lowest point of his life, Richie gets a call from his estranged sister, asking him to look after his nine-year old niece, Sophia, for a few hours. The few hours he will spend babysitting her will change Richie’s fate forever.

 Emotional protagonist suffering form depression (some degree of relatability from audience – uses and grats). Stereotypical representation of disability (ie: mental illness), as Richie is seen struggling to find a reason to live and therefore turns to self harm and contemplating suicide. Representation of youth/childhood (ie: his niece) which is counter typical at times, as his niece is shown to be quite authoritative in contrast to her uncle Richie). Audience feels sympathetic towards Richie (uses and grats). The theme and certain graphic scenes of the short film indicates its targeted for an older audience.The dark low key lighting and dull mise-en-secne wouldn’t attract a younger audience anyway.

BOWLING ALLEY

“Sophia starts dancing by herself down the alley, as all of the patrons of the bowling alley begin to snap and tap their feet, in unison. Dreamy and surreal, the scene is beautifully imagined and realised. Richie, lost in his own demons, stares around him at the happy dancers all over the bar, and he is so far from being capable of happiness. It is eloquent in terms of portraying his ultimate isolation. But there is also the heart-tugging reality that he is coming back to life himself. That small dancing girl in the bowling lane is someone he has missed, someone he wants to know. Taking care of her gives him a purpose. That red rotary phone on his bathroom floor is not just a telephone. It is a literal lifeline.” – Politico

CHARACTERS

We are instantly made to emphasise with the main character. As we see him laying in the bath, somewhat lifeless, we automatically cause an allegiance with him, wanting the best outcome for him in the end. his approach to life reflects his mental health, and as an audience member, we often seek the best for those characters who seem vulnerable.

In the beginning, the young girl almost acts like every other smart child, mildly annoying and extremely talkative. however, as the plot develops, we see that she is truly curious, wants to know whats going on with her uncle, just as much as we do. Her character doesn’t change much through the film, its our understanding of her character and how the main character perceives her character changes.

NARRATIVE

The narrative follows a cyclical nature, through the use of repetition.