Short Film Review

     The short film I have chosen to analyse is : Gas man by Lynne Ramsey.

      The main focus of the film I believe is that the dad has to take his children to a Christmas party. When they are walking there, they meet a woman with 2 children, who he then takes to the party also. I believe that all 4 children are to the same father because one of the brothers says to the sister “she looks just like you” from this is believe that all 4 children have the same dad, but are completely unaware of this. This could get the audience to think that maybe the dad had an affair with this lady and had 2 children with her, along with the other lady too. This is further acknowledged when the girls start to argue because they both say “that’s my daddy’s knee” Which to the children’s knowledge this could be a way to start an argument but they don’t actually know that they are sisters and that their dad isn’t being honest to them.

         

           I believe that the sort of research and development that the director would have had to do is looking into the lives of children that don’t know that they have siblings / other siblings. Because of their parents not telling them. Or even the idea of children maybe been separate at birth so they don’t know that they have siblings. The development of this would then have hints such as “oh she looks like you” which helps to get the audience thinking more into the story/ back story of the characters.

   

        I enjoyed this short novella film because it explored a topic that is very much real. Adding to a sense of realism that the audience on some levels may relate or understand. I liked it because from the very beginning it doesn’t seem as though it will unfold the way it did. I also believe that is was both, successful and unsuccessful and representing the topics. I think it was successful because throughout the film the father doesn’t acknowledge that the two girls may have realised about them been siblings. However, it was also unsuccessful because I was expected a clear ending of the father actually coming forward with the truth to the children because I believe that they deserved to know the truth.

      One interesting approach that I found interesting was when all the characters were walking along the train tracks. Then the girls start to jump the tracks, while they are doing this there is a sound of what a train or cart would have sounded like going over the track. This was interesting because it helps the audience to understand the children’s imagination and the enjoyment the were experiencing.

Another Feature that I found interesting is the location of the Christmas party. It appears to be a pub that has been set up as a party for the less fortunate children to go to be able to still enjoy Christmas. I think the director deliberately did this to help with the realism for the film. It makes it very relatable for a lot of people because they may have been to one before and it helps to progress the narrative.

The films form helps to relate to its content because firstly its shot in a very similitude location and has a narrative that is easy to follow. Although not totally clear to the audience, it progresses throughout. It has a clear beginning and end, were the little girl has realised that maybe the other girl was her sister, but their dad was keeping it from them.