The Critic (2022) Short Film Review
From the very beginning, the short feature The Critic is very adamant on being what it really is: a romantic story that’s fully dependent on a huge twist. What’s funny is that you get the sense that something “bigger” is going on with this dreamy relationship sparked out of nothing, but you can’t quite grasp what it actually is.
Needless to say, I won’t spoil you. This very risky injection in a plotline like The Critic’s is a decision that shows how confident the writer/director is about his film. Frank Kelly doesn’t ever contemplate the need to tarnish his film with secondary elements that would turn the viewer’s look away. He’s sure it will work, because there isn’t any way it wouldn’t. This is a short film driven towards a big finish that plays with the genre at hand, and yet doesn’t change anything about what we saw. It refreshes the screen with a beautiful personality that’s not very common in romance films, not even feature length.
In the iconic Biltmore Hotel in Florida, a hotel critic has begun her stay. She looks lonely but this doesn’t mess with her plans. She came for one thing and one only: write about this beautiful place. Her attitude is bitter, serious, and honestly, quite conventional for her line of work.
Jack arrives. A handsome man with a golden smile that tricks Meghan into having dinner with him. She’s reluctant but accepts. The next day Jack shows her the hotel they’re staying at and frankly, it seems rather suspicious that he knows so much about the place. His knowledge comes from having worked as a caddy in the hotel’s golf course for quite some time.
And then, something… happens. Meghan’s task has become clouded with the charm of a young man who suddenly disappears, leaving her clueless about who he actually is.
The Critic isn’t conventional if you consider it as a whole. But as a short film, the romantic aspect of the story depends on a script that isn’t very jumpy. It’s not a variation because it doesn’t need to be. Julia Collier and Nick Puya’s performances are solid enough to make us believe in a lover’s story that arises out of nowhere. Where it goes after is the essence of the film, but it doesn’t cancel the average take on the “summer love” we have just seen.
Kelly’s The Critic goes by quickly and we can’t help but think it’s a concept for something much bigger. It’s also a fancy commercial for a place that’s filled with history, legends and secrets. The Biltmore is a perfect location for the film and you can’t help but recognize the power of the place in Meghan’s ultimate encounter with herself. Those last scenes are illuminated with the character’s lovely and honest smile, and they are a perfect conclusion for this short, but beautiful story.
