Film & TV

Short Film Review: The Fair Weather Felon

When a would-be intruder is caught, he falls for the wiles of the woman who lives there, but their instant attraction may not be all that it seems.

Local film-maker Ashoka Chowta premiered his short film The Fair Weather Felon during the Adelaide Fringe and it has since had several subsequent airings at short film screenings around town, including this coming Saturday, 23 July.

The Fair Weather Felon, running approximately 20 minutes, is shot in black and white and follows a comical twist of fate against a would-be thief who falls for the wiles of the attractive resident.

Written by Jacob Greenbert, the film begins as a tense drama, full of close ups and edgy soundscapes. Sharp sounds overtake the visuals, which are often out of focus, as the intruder Jim (Marc Bope VII) ransacks the seemingly deserted suburban home. Once caught, the action unexpected changes direction and, with tongue firmly in cheek, Jim and Lisa (Kate Van Der Horst) are immediately attracted to each other.

Images of mouse traps are perhaps a bit too obvious an analogy of what’s unfolding, but the story is far from straight forward with a couple of nice twists to round out the plot. Chowta toys with a variety of styles, from film noir to the romantic cheesiness of love-at-first-sight.

Also featuring Brian Grace, Milena McKay and Raj Kumar, the cast bring these cinematic styles to life nicely, although the dialogue could be tighter.

The Fair Weather Felon is a fun romp and, combined with other short films, makes for an enjoyable night of varied entertainment.

Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet

Catch The Fair Weather Felon and other local short films, animations and music at Eat My Shorts at the Crown & Sceptre Hotel, 308 King William Street, Adelaide, from 7pm on Saturday 23 July 2016. Entry is by gold coin donation with further details available from the event Facebook page.

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