Molly views herself as broken. Her self-esteem is so shattered, and her self-worth so low that she acquiesces with whatever her dates tell her. I kept thinking about how many times in my own life, I have been in a state of depression, looking for any sort of validation. Those moments when my self-respect was operating at such a deficit that I retreated into myself rather than confronting whatever issues needed addressing. It’s a horrible feeling, and I have never seen it so accurately portrayed in a film as it is in Molly’s Single.
The anguish in Molly’s Single is substantial, but the film succeeds in great part due to the performance of Calcagne. She brings a defeated yet hopeful quality to the role that is both heartbreaking and uncomfortable to watch at times. As we see Molly on one of her dates with a sleazy LA photographer, we know that he is just looking to get into her pants. We want to reach in and rescue Molly as she agrees to pose for him after falling for his we should work together crap. Shades of Coco from Fame emerge during this scene.
“I loved it for all of its unpretentiousness, its quirky and damaged protagonist, but most of all, for its brazenly raw truthfulness.”
The acting, not only by Calcagne but from everyone involved in this short film, is astounding: it feels improvisational and real. Gardner has an extremely astute ear for naturalistic dialogue, full of the pauses and stumbling and humor found in everyday interactions. Shooting the film (Gardner also served as cinematographer) on miniDV allows for a cinema verite feel about the film that makes Molly’s internal struggle register in a more visceral way than something more polished might have.
This film is a revelation. Brilliantly shot, emotionally gut-wrenching, and anchored by a galvanizing performance from Calcagne, Molly’s Single is a short to look out for.
Molly’s Single screened at the 2020 Slamdance Film Festival.
"…This film is a revelation."
