Crazy – A Short Film Review
Holt Boggs carefully crafted and expertly executed short film Crazy is a perfect example of everything great about short film.
What’s It All About?
An insecure mob boss enlists the help of an eccentric hit man to ‘take out’ his girlfriend’s lover who he presumes to have a significantly larger penis. The only problem is, it’s almost 4:00pm.
My Opinion
Holt Boggs wrote, directed, starred, edited and produced this short film so it is pretty safe to say he was heavily invested in it. Boggs has managed to craft a superbly performed and expertly timed short film that draws the audience in and keeps them glued until the very end. What starts off as an intense thriller magically evolves into a dark comedy. Once the short has finished I can’t help but feel a sense of sadness for the characters. Boggs has really made something special here and deserves a lot of recognition for it. The writing is fantastic, the story as a whole works so well and actors give a performance worthy of the script.
Holt Boggs and Brian Villalobos both put in superb performances. Villalobas playing the cool and confident Hitman and Boggs playing the tightly wound Mob Boss. The dialogue flows fast and becomes more absurd the further into this short we get but Boggs and Villalobos both continue with their serious, rapid-fire delivery which does a brilliant job of heightening the tension and flawlessly crossing over into comedy territory. The pair seem to be crank the intensity levels up and down with ease. This dynamic duo compliment one another, Villalobos stealing the show during the diner moments and Boggs really shining once we get our big reveal.
The majority of Crazy takes place in a diner, a classic location for this set up. A Mob Boss and a Hitman meeting up in a diner to discuss a business deal is not an original one, but it is a classic for a reason and the instant familiarity of this means that Boggs does not need to waste any time in his short explaining the situation. A simple camera setup with different shots are all that is needed to allow us to encompass the action.
Crazy has a superb soundtrack that sets the scene. Not only does it help to crank up the drama and the tension but it also knows when to stay and when to fade away, bubbling to the surface at just the right moment. The closing track on the credits ‘I Feel You’ by Missio leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Notable Performances
Holt Boggs plays Stanley. Boggs really brings a high level of intensity to his performance as he rattles off the high octane dialogue trading lines with Villalobos. Boggs’ performance reaches a new level once the short changes gear to a dark comedy. He seems to excel in this role.
Brian Villalobos plays Monty. I really liked the confidence Villalobos carried with Monty. He really shone through the diner scene. His verbal exchanges with Boggs were a pleasure to watch. He carried himself with all the swagger the character needed.
Keturah Branch plays Nancy Wallace. It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t mention Branch who makes a very subtle appearance at the beginning of the short that you are quick to brush off without realising how key her words are to the whole plot of the short. She has an excellent turn bringing an authoritative nature to her role as she firmly keeps her co-stars in check. A fine performance.
The Verdict
Holt Boggs Crazy is an excellent example of everything that is great about short film. Two outstanding performances, a superb story and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing is all the ingredients you need to make this a five star film.
You can watch the trailer HERE.
