For anyone that has ever felt trapped in an unhappy marriage or suffocated by an oppressive job, Richard Powell's sadistic new short will feel all too FAMILIAR! John Dodd is a father and a husband who only wishes to be neither, to break free of the social confines which have imprisoned him for the last 45 years. Just as his daughter is about ready to leave for college, his wife reveals that they have another child on the way, shattering his chances of escape. John's negative feelings turn to action, until he realizes that the voice inside his head may not be his own... FAMILIAR explores the darkest thoughts and emotions that we hide from the world, the side of humanity that most of us try to ignore. Though pushed to the extreme, the character of John Dodd embodies an inseparable piece of the human condition that we have all felt or experienced at one time: the need to be free. Powell's sharp writing brings out the blackest of humor throughout John's inner monologues, which recall the relationships between Brian and Aylmer in BRAIN DAMAGE or Yanka and her unborn fetus in BABY BLOOD. The themes of isolation, withdrawal, and resentment draw closer to the works of Brad Anderson, however, in features like SESSION 9, THE MACHINIST, and SOUNDS LIKE. John's fractured psyche manifests into tumor-like growths that spread across his body, which he feels he must carve out to ride himself of the evil inside. This adds a touch of nauseating body horror in the end to top off the thrilling psychological suspense. Much of the strength also lies in the powerful performance by Robert Nolan, whose jaded interests bleed out through his eyes and facial expressions. Powell impresses with another successful short following his previous win in WORM!
Rating: 9/10.
Movies like FAMILIAR:
BABY BLOOD, BRAIN DAMAGE, SOUNDS LIKE, THE MACHINIST, SESSION 9, BASKET CASE.
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