Luke Barnett and Tanner Thomason’s comedic short, The Crossing Over Express, asks: if you had the chance to rectify a missed opportunity, what would you do? Hank (Luke Barnett) is a man determined to make up for one missed opportunity in his personal life. We find our hero in the middle of nowhere, where a large cargo van is parked with a circle of chairs in front of it. The anxious Hank glances down at an envelope full of cash and a book by Dr. Gale Gustberg (Dot-Marie Jones) titled “Where Did Grandpa Go?”
It’s Hank’s turn, and he enters the back of the truck to see Dr. Gustberg and a bedsheet. Apparently, Dr. Gustberg has found the door between this physical world and the ethereal world of the dead. Hank tells Dr. Gustberg he wants to speak with his deceased mother. The doctor tells him he has only two minutes.
“Dr. Gustberg has found the door between this physical world and the ethereal world of the dead.”
Filmmakers Barnett and Thomason bring a great deal of humor and irony to the old medium scam. The film plays around with the idea of whether Dr. Gustberg is legit or not, but it primarily asks the question: What would you say to your loved one who passed away if you were only given two minutes to talk?
I love the simplicity of this short film. Production-wise, we’re talking about a car, a truck, and a circle of chairs, but somehow, this film project seems larger than it is. Luke Barnett is great as the troubled Hank and brilliantly pulls off the nuanced ending. Dot-Marie Jones is fantastic in everything she does; this small film is no exception.
But really, this short film succeeds because of the filmmakers’ clear vision and story. The Crossing Over Express does something that I wish other comedic sketches did: It has a point—something to say about being human.
"…What would you say to your loved one who passed away if you were only given two minutes to talk?"
