A Friend of Dorothy
Rating: 5/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
Some of the best friendships come from the most unlikely duos. That is definitely the case for the friendship that is the basis of Lee Knight's Oscar-shortlisted short film, A Friend of Dorothy. With such beautiful performances from Miriam Margolyes and Alistair Nwachukwu, Knight's film paints this picture of what it is like to be human and have such complex and heartfelt relationships with someone you never thought you would interact with. Not only does Knight do a fantastic job of pulling on the heartstrings of the viewer with his quick and witty writing and his moving directing, but the two performances that form the basis of this picture are simply wonderful and brought a tear to my eye. If the other short films on the Shortlist are designed to showcase the problems in the world at the moment, A Friend of Dorothy is the amazing standout in the crowd that makes the viewer believe again in humanity and love.
The friendship between Dorothy and JJ forms when he knocks on her door, prompting our elderly character to utter a phrase that shows she is definitely a foul-mouthed woman. What Knight explores in his film is that Dorothy is only limited by her body and what she is able to do at this old age, but her mind is as sharp and witty as ever. That is the reason the friendship works so well between JJ and Dorothy. Knight designs these characters to be so wonderful and personable that it is so easy to love them. As this friendship they have formed progresses throughout the movie, we see how JJ and Dorothy have inspired and influenced each other in ways they have never expected. Dorothy now finds meaning and excitement in waking up everyday, and JJ starts to find the importance of pursuing his passion of acting, while also knowing it is perfectly OK to be different from what everyone wants him to be.
In addition to the stellar story and directing from Knight, Margolyes and Nwachukwu are simply so much fun and incredibly heartwarming here. There is no doubt that these two actors had a wonderful time working with one another, and their excitement and love for what they do pops off the screen. I sincerely love every single scene they are in together, and I adore how not only their relationship evolves throughout the course of the twenty-minute runtime, but also how they have changed and grew as individuals. These two performers understand these roles perfectly, and they really commit to bringing this beautiful friendship to life on the screen.
At the same time, I love the juxtaposition of JJ and Dorothy against her grandson, Scott (Oscar Lloyd) Lloyd is great at playing this sort of asshole who is only there to mooch off the money she is going to leave him after she dies. It is a common theme we see in elderly people who pass away, and Knight does a great job of showing how these sort of people should spend the time they have with their loved ones, rather than waiting for them to die. This movie is more of an appreciation of life and the freedom to have these relationships with the most unexpected person, and I didn't want this film to end. I really liked this world he crafted for these two characters, and it's a film that invites you in with open arms and a warm hug.
A Friend of Dorothy is a wonderful film that makes you believe in the good people of the world. It presents the fact that there is still love and beauty out there, even if it is hard to find it at times. These two characters and the bond that they share for the short time she is still on this world shows not only that there is still camaraderie and kindness left in this world, but that everyone can find joy in the most unlikely of places. This is definitely a movie we needed right now, and Knight delivers it perfectly.
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