Message Received (2016)

[StevePulaski]

Message Received (2016)
Directed by: Stephen Herman and David Chin

Rating: ★★★

Stephen Herman and David Chin's short film Message Received concerns Chin's character David, who is thrust into the world of blackmail as he wakes up early on a Saturday morning to exchange texts with a private number. He leaves his house early in order to arrive at a location several miles from his home, dictated by a series of demands, all while his wife (Danny Ai) nervously messages him to try and find out where he is. Throughout the entire drive, David is nervous and shaken, consumed with guilt over what ever it is he's done and in pursuit of obtaining the evidence that will erase it from existence - at least in his mind.

Winner of the Best Director award at the 2017 CUNY Film Festival, Message Received is entirely comprised of dialog formatted as on-screen text messages; nothing but impulsive exclamations are audible over the course of its ten-minute runtime. As a result, the atmosphere and music assume a tight grip on what we get out of the short and how we respond to the events as they unfold. Thankfully, both attributes intensify the short rather than hinder it, making it not just communicative in its suspense but also not manipulative. The score never undercuts the gravity and weight of the text messages by evoking booming synths or loud thuds to assure we feel something as the short goes on. It thrusts those as the main narrative device to carry the plot forward, and consequently, allows the film to unfold in a very realistic manner, as if someone is really receiving these text messages and working off of information and demands that come out a piece at a time.

An interesting thing for Message Received would've been to see the film unfold in real time, such as the Randy Quaid/Jay Baruchel film Real Time, where characters are beholden to the obtrusive but unstoppable force of time, which stands in the way of their own progress. Obviously, for a short film shot on a budget of less than $100 and under the less-than-desirable filming conditions of New York City streets and parking garages, this privilege was just a little bit out of reach. But Herman and Chin (as an actor, as well) operate under the unique conditions well enough to create a short that's an intoxicating adrenaline rush.

Some short films find themselves in need of urgency or a shot-to-the-arm of something that will jumpstart the premise and make it function more effectively and make the audience more engaged. Message Received doesn't have that issue. It operates on intrigue that's inherent to the premise, yet captivates due to the trickery that finally floats to the surface. Herman and Chin's short is slight, but a lot of fun, all while showing a real prowess for the technical side of filmmaking.

NOTE: You can watch Message Received on Vimeo, free of charge, vimeo.com/197818410

Starring: David Chin and Danny Ai. Directed by: Stephen Herman and David Chin.