The Pearl Comb
Rating: 5/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
As a film critic, it’s our job to analyze and judge the movie on numerous different aspects. Whether it is about the story, the characters, or filmmaking aspects, we have to judge whether or not the film succeeds in bringing together the parts to make a whole. It’s challenging at times because there are some movies who do great things, but fall short in other aspects. However, on the flip side of that, we have films like Ali Cook’s short The Pearl Comb, which makes it incredibly easy to judge the film due to how well everything works together. This movie is not only visually stunning with amazing performances by its cast, but the story works incredibly well with the direction from Cook. These type of films are the ones I love as a film critic because it makes my job easy and enjoyable because they simply do everything right on the screen. There is nothing I can do but praise it for what they were able to accomplish in only a twenty-minute runtime.
I won’t spoil too much of the plot for you here, but the story revolves around a mystical comb that can heal all ailments and bring people and animals back from near-death. However, to receive this magical comb meant life or death for Lutey (Simon Armstrong) who received it to help with his incredibly sick wife, Betty (Beatie Edney). Now that Lutey has passed on, Betty has taken over the mantle of healing those that are sick, which started an investigation by a doctor (Cook) that is hell-bent on making sure sure Betty knows her place is at home and not in medicine.
When I sat down to watch this short for the first time, I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't really even know what the short film from Cook was really about. But, he was able to take me as the viewer and hook my attention on what he is showing on the screen and left me awe-struck by what he was able to capture. To start, the visuals here are absolutely beautiful. From the mermaid to the powers of the water, Cook magnificently works with cinematographer Dave Miller and the visual effects crew to capture such beautifully haunting imagery and character design. Nothing in this world is perfect, but how they are able to capture the mermaid and this terrifying setting is damn near close.
At the same time, Cook crafts this story so well, and he is able to flawlessly bring it alive on the screen. The story is so interesting and compelling, and it has a powerful message inside it as a whole. While the movie does do a great job of conveying the message of feminism and how women are just as strong and smart as men, it also wraps up the entire message in this haunting story of power and sacrifice. The characters are excellently fleshed-out here, and the movie has such stakes that are heightened as the film progresses. Plus, I want to point out that the ending here is fantastic, and really gripped me with excitement and fear.
What really brings this movie together is the performances from the four main leads. Edney, Cook, Armstrong, and Clara Paget, who plays the Mermaid, are brilliant in their respective roles. Edney and Armstrong have wonderful chemistry together, and they are able to bring out the stand-out qualities in their own individual performances. In addition, Cook plays this misogynistic character who we absolutely despise, and seeing how the ending plays out makes his performance so much better. We love the ending so much because of how much we hate Cook's character, proving that Cook did his job at playing such a jerk of a character. But, it is Paget's performance as the mystical creature that really stands out here to me. She is so hauntingly beautiful in this role, and gives a great performance as this terrifying creature that has been the subject of myths and stories for ages. She perfectly captures everything beautiful and deadly about this beast, and it works so well throughout the film.
There is no doubt in my mind that The Pearl Comb is easily one of the best short films of the year. It plays out so well through its 20-minute-runtime, and like I said, it's wildly impressive everything that Cook was able to accomplish during this short time. Not only is The Pearl Comb awe-inspiring for a handful of reasons, but it proves what makes movies so magical and why we watch this beautiful art form.
Comments
Post a Comment