Sonic Cinema

Sounds, Visions and Insights by Brian Skutle

Triplet (Short)

Grade : A- Year : 2016 Director : Nickolas Duarte Running Time : 7min Genre : ,
Movie review score
A-

Nickolas Duarte and his cohorts at Crown Chimp Films are constantly finding new ways to tell compelling personal stories about the drive to do…something. Whether it’s helping a loved one (like in “Sea Change” or “Sultan of the Sea”) or, in this case, making a ballet roster, his characters are usually driven by forces we see play out on their faces, but only understand by their actions. Here, Kelsey (Cera Naccaralo) is trying out for a spot in a ballet company for the third year in a row. Her partner in the tryout is Noah (Dillon Daniel), and as they go through the routine for Mr. Sutton (Jonathan Northover), we see both have talent, but because of the way it is shot, out focus is on Kelsey, and the way Mr. Sutton is watching her. We’re trying to read his mood, but when they stop, he is immediately ready to give Noah a slot. Kelsey, however, is left out. When Kelsey challenges Mr. Sutton, she seems to go overboard and imply real impropriety between Sutton and Noah. Noah is brought back into the studio, and she gets another chance, but emotions still run high. This is one of Duarte’s lesser efforts I’ve seen, which is to say it’s only very good instead of damn good, but it’s another clear-eyed narrative from the director who, with his writers Sonia Campbell and Drew Grubich, tell something short and powerful about personal ambition, and what happens when it is thwarted. Kelsey’s feelings are palpable, but Sutton appears to have her pegged. But the opposite is also true, and it feels like Sutton, without acknowledging it, might know it. That doesn’t change his assessment, however. Passion is important, but it can lead us to make unwise decisions. It’s certainly plausible to think that all three characters in “Triplet” are guilty of doing so.

Triplet from Crown Chimp Films on Vimeo.

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