Director, Joshua Blewitt brings us chauvinistic, narcissist, movie lover and filmmaker, Chez Florentine (Joe Carmichael), amidst the release of his latest (very controversial) flick, Mean.
Opening on a talking heads/interview is the first entry we are given in a film with subject matter which is clearly an ode to films, filmmaking and the numerous techniques and artistic choices that come with it.
With varied styles, the cinematography ropes you in, keeping you engaged throughout. However, these multiple styles also leave this short struggling from a tonality point of view. Not to say the contrast doesn’t work but the script may have just been a tad heavy for lead, Carmichael, who doesn’t necessarily demonstrate the passion for film that his onscreen counterpart required, convincingly.
As an artist, there is a difference between the stories you want to tell and the stories you’ve been asked to tell.
Mean serves as more than just a title, not only doesn’t it hit on the downsides of the movie industry but it represents 21st-century filmmaking in the age where the internet has a voice and everyone is a critic. Although the ending falls a little flat, the finale does succeed in leaving you with a strong message: As an artist, there is a difference between the stories you want to tell and the stories you’ve been asked to tell.
Jacked In Reviews ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)
As we open on members of the Osage people amid – what can only be described as – a spiritual oil rave, […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘The B Movie’ (2023)
The humble opening of Richard Bray’s documentary establishes what’s to come in terms of tone as we begin with […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Hellraiser’ (2022)
After a 4 year hiatus, a new Hellraiser dawns on the big (well, depending on the size of your television) screen […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Red Fox’ (2023)
Red Fox tells a powerful tale of blurred “justice” and despair, as a bunch of deluded folk of faith hunt a homeless […]
Jacked In Recommends ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ (2011)
A group of young friends decide to take a small trip to a secluded cabin in the middle of the woods, where not […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Nosferatu’ (2024)
Although we are greeted by Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) covered in a dark, bluish hue (similar to the nighttime […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Sid’ (2023)
A tale that was just waiting to be told, Shahzaib Yaqoob’s short brings us a dark re-imagining, showing the […]
Jacked In Recommends ‘The Tinder Swindler’ (2022)
Swipe left, swipe right, left, right, left, left, right- IT’S A MATCH!.. Sound familiar? Tinder is one of the most […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Mickey 17’ (2025)
We open on a partially frozen individual, Mickey (Robert Pattinson) – who has unfortunately fallen into a […]
Jacked In Recommends ‘Midsommar’ (2019)
We join Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor), a young couple amidst a rocky relationship that is about […]
Jacked In Recommends ‘Klaus’ (2019)
After being labelled as the postal academy’s worst employee, Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) is reassigned to a frozen […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘The Substance’ (2024)
We join the once-great Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) as she is abruptly pushed out of the spotlight – now […]