The List
With The List and The Square, both produced last year, it's evident that Joel Edgerton has a keen eye for a ripping yarn.
In this film, we're taken into Sydney's murky crime world, and the story of one of its inhabitants, Dale (Anthony Hayes).
It would be a sin to divulge the story. Suffice it to say that you'll be intrigued by the surreptitious goings-on from the outset; and before you know it, you'll be drawn into Dale's emotional life and ethical quandaries. You may not think you will. But you will find it hard to resist.
It's a testament to Edgerton's talent as a storyteller (and of the outstanding cast members), that we are compelled to care so much about the characters in such a short amount of time. In only 25 minutes, The List offers extraordinary depth and emotional engagement. This film is essential viewing for anyone who enjoys a good story, and is strongly encouraged for those aspiring to make films, and who opt for the short film format as a stepping-stone.
Anthony Hayes is pitch perfect as Dale. Justine Clarke (one of this country's best and most under-utilised actors) demonstrates her talent for doing what she does best: being real. Look out for one scene where she blows her nose. Seriously.
My only reservation is that not enough people will see it, as is the case with a number of outstanding shorts that do the festival circuit, only to vanish shortly thereafter.
The List, along with a number of other short films I've watched this year - Spider (Nash Edgerton), Short Change (Anna McGrath) and Miracle Fish (Luke Dolan) - have me yearning for cinemas to return to screening shorts prior to features.