Shark is a dark comedy that knows when to pull the rug on our fun having newlyweds. Nash Edgerton’s latest short is a deliciously dark and unexpected delight.
Director: Nash Edgerton Cast: Nash Edgerton, Rose Byrne, Krew Boylan, Elly Hiraani Clapin
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15239576
We follow the continuing adventures of Jack, who loves to prank. But in his latest relationship, he may have finally met his match.
Ever want to play pranks on your partner and hope they do the same with you for the rest of your lives? To laugh and have that joy in your hearts? Jack has found that person in Sofie, a woman who loves a prank as much as he does. But what happens when your antics put you in danger?
Shark is the perfect length; it leaves you wanting far more of the characters and the lead-up to that last scene that you would immediately go and add to a Kickstarter to get it going. That goes down to the little moments we see in the this great short. Jack is not afraid to prank anyone, even the people in the opening scene and with Sofie, he finally seems to have found his perfect foil. We even get a little line from her father to Jack, wishing him good luck, as if now Sofie is his problem. Bryne and Edgerton’s dynamic is excellent, and there is never a film where Byrne cannot charm you, so if we had more moments of this duo together, who would argue against it?
But, as said, everything is at a perfect length for this story. We are given enough to fall for Sofie and see how relentlessly cheeky Jack is. So, when they get on the boat, and their situation requires less of that practical joke nature that they love, we can feel for the moments that come forward.
Writer-director-star Edgerton pulls off a lot here with his comedy; you never really think the film will go where it does, in the way it does, and it is a testament to how he can control the story and lead us astray. Shark doesn’t pull any of its punches with what we see either, and you can tell how much fun there is to be had in this film. You may be wondering why the film is called Shark; well, fear not, dear reader, Edgerton has a treat for you (though not for his characters) that will flip everything around.
After a little bit of digging, it seems as if this is a series of shorts that Nash Edgerton has created throughout the years with previous entries in Bear and Spider, so if you enjoyed Shark, make sure to catch the last two to get the whole arc of the prankster that is Jack.
Shark is a film you will love; you will fall in love with the characters and the premise. Will we get more adventures of Jack and Sofie? We will see; for now, though, we can relish this great short film.
★★★ 3/4
The annual Academy Awards® Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival will celebrate its 18th year August 11-20, 2022. HollyShorts (HSFF) brings together top creators, industry leaders, and companies and has launched many filmmakers into the next stages of their careers. HollyShorts, a regular on the MovieMaker Magazine Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee list, also engages its community and spotlights short films year-round through monthly screenings, panels, and networking events.
The most recent edition of HollyShorts had six selections nominated for Academy Awards this year with two wins for Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed’s The Long Goodbye and Ben Proudfoot’s Queen of Basketball.
HollyShorts Film Festival will take place in-person at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Hollywood, and stream via Bitpix TV, with the annual Awards Gala set to take place on August 20, 2022.
For tickets to the festival please click here.
For more of our reviews of the festival, please check out below:
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