A grieving mother is forced to confront her feelings in Paul Holbrook’s short film, Hollow. Laura (Laura Bayston) is barely holding life together after the death of her young daughter. The authorities inform her that Niall (Kris Hitchen), the man, who killed her daughter, will soon be released from prison on probation, causing Laura to reach her breaking point.
Laura immediately meets with Father Hill (Karl Collins), not for any spiritual advice, but to say she’s given up on faith and shuns his “hollow” words of assurance. Instead, Laura begins to make plans to exact justice on Niall and ignores Father Hill’s warning about revenge.
“…the man, who killed her daughter, will soon be released from prison…causing Laura to reach her breaking point.”
Holbrook adds another layer to his story by showing Father Hill’s problems with a small gang of white kids, who bully him and paint racist slurs and derogatory terms on the church walls. Further proof to Laura that either God doesn’t care or Father Hill is a weak man.
Hollow is a gritty, independent drama about grief, the futility of life, and what anger turned to vengeance can do to a person. Writer/director Paul Holbrook masterfully paints a bleak picture with an even more bleak ending. However, the ending is not necessarily about the unfolding events, but more of a character study into the people we become when consumed with unresolved grief.
"…a character study into the people we become when consumed with unresolved grief."
