If you’re familiar with one of Callen Diederichs’ other short films, Supper’s Ready, then you may recognize the characters in The Trouble I Got. In this tale, gunslinger O’Donoghue (Callen Diederichs) is bothered that he may not be an intimidating presence anymore (even though he’s still more than capable of killing anyone at a moment’s notice). As his crisis of confidence ensues, he and partner Delacroix (Charles Lemire) run into a former acquaintance, a mountie-turned-priest (Troy Hudson), who may not have their best interests at heart.
To a lesser extent than Supper’s Ready, this is a short film that feels like you’re catching the story partway through. Like you missed the opening, and you’re still going to wind up missing the end. It’s an interim piece, albeit a very engaging one.
Because this time around, the filmmaking is far more creative with the composition. Two people talking at a table is full of visual personality. The opening wonderfully hearkens to Taxi Driver, if it took place in a frontier town, and the dialogue, while vulgarly anachronistic, adds humor to otherwise quiet conversation.
I’m not sure how it would fly for those who didn’t see Supper’s Ready, however. I imagine it might feel the way it did when I first saw that film, which is you appreciate that there is a tale being told, but it’s so subtle you feel like you’re missing something the entire time. The priest, and his behavior, might seem like a move out of left field if you see this one first, so that aspect is certainly enhanced by the characters’ cinematic history.
That said, this one can stand on its own, and is entertaining in its few minutes. Some twists might seem too odd, but it all works with the flavor of the piece. If this is the progression of filmmaking, and acting, for creator Callen Diederichs, then I’m impressed with the forward strides.
Whether this is what’s going on or not, whether this is the direction it is all heading, what I would like to see is a few more of these short films by Callen Diederichs. They can still revel in this “we know what’s going on but we’re not sharing” tone, and their somewhat disconnected and disjointed feel, because I like the idea of later experiencing an almost Pulp Fiction-esque narrative as all the smaller vignettes are brought together to reveal the deadpan legend of O’Donoghue and Delacroix. It could either be an experimental masterpiece, or a confounding experience, but I like the tastes I’ve been given, and I want to see a bigger picture.
Or, keep ’em short, and treat like a bunch of short stories that never fully connect. I’d just like to see more of this world, and what trouble the two do or don’t get into. It took two shorts, but I’m hooked now.
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