After receiving less than positive news from her doctor, Liz (Jennifer Dawson) heads to the local bar to do something crazy, namely just go home with a random guy. Which is where Kevin (David Lipper) comes in. Friendly and talkative, Liz decides Kevin is the man to fulfill her evening’s mission, and the two head back to Kevin’s for a roll, or four, in the sheets.
Ivo Raza’s short film, Seventeen Hours In, has a peculiar tone that is not altogether unappealing. As it opens with the feel of an emotional drama, the film slowly gives way to more and more absurdity until, by the final credits, the entire scenario is one that you can’t help but laugh with. And that is laugh with, not laugh at.
Which elicits a more realistic feel to the entire short, even as the narrative itself, while no doubt possible, still feels slightly fantastical otherwise. I mean, in life, severe drama is often mixed with unintentional, or uncontrollable, humor. And if you’re lucky, no pun intended, filled with sex too.
As far as visual composition goes, however, the film is not the most interesting to look at but, to be fair, it’s putting the heavy lifting on the narrative and performances first and foremost, with the composition competent enough to not be a distraction. And that works, though it doesn’t give Seventeen Hours In an exceptional feel so much as simply capable. Overall, though, the short is entertaining with a twist or two, with some added emotional depth, and that’s pretty good for fourteen minutes of filmmaking.
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