For People in Trouble

Starring: Emma D'Arcy, Archie Madekwe
Directed by: Alex Lawther
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Short
Length: 16 minutes
2023

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two people make a connection but struggle as the world around them crumbles.

Review:

Tim: I decided to watch this short film primarily because of the cast. Emma D'Arcy has been doing great work on the good (but not great) House of the Dragon and Archie Madekwe was surprisingly good in the surprisingly good Gran Turismo. So, to see them both in a short film together felt like a must-watch.

That's really the main appeal of this film- getting to see two really good actors giving strong performances. This short is definitely narrowly focused- the entire film is just these two interacting. That's okay, as we get to see D'Arcy and Madekwe display a range of emotions as they showcase their acting talent. They are both such good actors and that is apparent for all to see here. I genuinely enjoyed their performances playing opposite each other and it was a reminder that we should be seeing a lot more of both of them. This is a small production, so it's mostly them talking- but that's okay, given their talent.

As far as the story, I had a harder time following the plot. Was it set currently? In the near future? I wasn't quite able to following the "why" behind the story. Maybe that mattered less to writer/director Alex Lawther- maybe he was more focused on telling a story about two people who fall in love, but become torn between each other and the crumbling world around them. Even its short run time, the film does raise up big questions- how much should we focus on our own lives and our happiness, when so much bad is happening in the world around us? Is it selfish to live your life when we know the world isn't in good shape? Shouldn't we all be making sacrifices to improve the world around us? I'm not sure, and the film doesn't provide answers, either.

I can't say I loved For People in Trouble, but I definitely appreciated the strong acting. I'm glad I watched it for the two terrific performances, but the story itself felt a bit too obtuse for me. Still, getting to see D'Arcy and Madekwe together here was a major plus and based on that alone, I'd recommend this short.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



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