Max is Bleeding starts innocuously enough with Courtney (Chole Sirene) and her heavy-metal loving boyfriend, Sam (Matias Bonino), taking their injured dog, Max, to the vet. But, Courtney seems overly nervous and tense, and soon enough, the horrifying truth of her situation comes to light.
It is not often that a film engages you on every sensory level. Max is Bleeding, written by Louis Lagayette, may only be eight minutes long, but every moment is filled with tension and dread as a woman’s brave and clever call for help to escape her dangerous significant other comes to fruition. Director Jordan Anstatt has created an intense and nerve-racking short film to bring the issue of domestic violence into the spotlight successfully.
“…a woman’s brave and clever call for help to escape her dangerous significant other…”
Through the purposeful and convincing acting of Chole Sirene, you quickly realize that the dramatic short will pull no punches and be as heartrending as it is empowering. Desperate and barely able to perform a premeditated plan, Sirene keeps the viewer engaged until the edge-of-your-seat conclusion. Does Courtney escape her abuser, or does it end to the mournful tune of so many caught in that reality?
Building tension through clever close-ups, well-planned camera angles, and thoughtful editing, the director allows the drama to percolate until the explosive climax at the end. In addition, Anstatt utilizes the end credits, an always welcomed maneuver, to show the surveillance footage of the real-life event that inspired the short drama — an eye-opening scenario. Although it may appear to be a simple film, Max is Bleeding delivers in a big way thanks to strong directing, tense writing, and beautiful acting.
"…keeps the viewer engaged until the edge-of-your-seat conclusion."
