Short Film "The Date"

“The Date”

  1. I truly enjoyed watching “The Date,” a new short film: written, directed, and starred in by Oscar Winner Luke Matheny. I could tell that Matheny put a lot of time and effort into making this film. It looked professionally done and well thought out. I enjoyed the story Matheny was illustrating through his short film mainly because it was relatable and straightforward. Being able to relate to the story made me immediately fall in love with the characters, because they were no longer just faces I didn’t know, but two characters that I can understand and identify with. Being able to achieve that in a mere three and a half minutes really shows off the talent and passion that Luke Matheny has for filmmaking. This film was able to put a smile on my face after watching it because it had the happy ending that most people want and expect to see. Finally, I liked “The Date” because of the different moods and qualities it aired within a really short time frame. I saw anticipation and nervousness, jealousy and angriness, kindness and regret all wrapped up into a well-constructed short film.
  2. Matheny clearly had a story in mind that he wanted to convey to the viewer, and in my opinion, he did it successfully and effectively. Because this is a short film, Matheny didn’t have spare time to waste on any unnecessary lines or scenes. At the start of the film, it becomes clear that two friends are discussing on how to prepare for an upcoming first date for Phil. I didn’t pick up that the girl (Stacy) had feelings for her friend (Phil) until the end-half of the film, when her facial expressions started to change from happy and content to jealous and resentful. However, I feel that was intentionally done by Matheny, adding uncertainty and suspense to the movie. I also feel that not revealing that the two friends had feelings for one another right from the start was a big part of the story Matheny was trying to convey. Matheny was trying to express how often...