Josephine’s home life leaves a lot to be desired. Her beer-swilling husband (Jerry White Jr.) barely gets up from the couch, except to get more beer or sleep. Josephine’s only joy is playing the accordion, and one day her playing catches the interest of a roach living in the wall of her apartment, who plays along with Josephine’s music on his tiny violin. Thus begins an unlikely courtship, as the roach falls in love with Josephine (Jenna Augen), and after seeing a science program, hatches a plan to be with her.
Josephine and the Roach is a fantastical tale, and one that hearkens back to Amelie (or maybe that’s just the accordion’s influence) and Being John Malkovich, for more obvious reasons I won’t spoil here. Overall entertaining, even if the imagery of a slovenly husband and the long-suffering wife isn’t the most original. It still captures a whimsical mood, and delivers a charmingly escapist story.
And while I’m not a fan of cockroaches as a practice, the art design of the roach in this short film is incredibly cute. If they were more like this musically talented insect, chances are folks would be cooler with having him around. The husband, though… don’t think anyone will ever dig the TV-addicted slob on the couch, unless you’re trying to get rid of some beer.
