The power of film often involves evoking strong emotions in its audience, and that’s precisely what Aly Migliori’s short film, Twist, does quite well.
Hannah is working the last shift at Magnifico’s Ice Cream with her co-worker. With a little foreshadowing, Hannah gets a call that her ride home won’t come through this night, and her co-worker won’t help either. Her only option is walking home alone in the dark.
On the way, a car pulls up behind Hannah. It’s a bunch of creepy dudes who offer to give her a lift. Red flags raise, and every warning our parents gave about cars and strangers comes instantly to mind. Twist‘s remaining moments are an exercise of wolves stalking their prey, playing it cool, and looking for the right moment to strike.
“…every warning our parents gave about cars and strangers comes instantly to mind.”
Helena Howard’s performance as Hannah is fantastic. She has to hold it together, giving off a vibe of nonchalant confidence, without showing fear and just enough to get her character to safety. Writer/director Migliori does a great job building tension at a slow and steady pace, finding the right moment to bring her story to its conclusion. The cinematography, especially in the end, is quite good, including an ominous shot of the self-serve machine.
Though most viewers may quibble over wanting some form of resolution, do we need or deserve one? I suppose it’s more about the ride than the destination. Still, Twist is an engaging, anxiety-inducing short.
"…does a great job building tension at a slow and steady pace..."
