Just in time for the holidays, it’s a short about suicide – wheeeeeeee!
A lonely television journalist, Dana Long, eats at a Chinese Restaurant on Christmas Eve. Lonely until burned out rockstar Orion Gold saddles up next to her and starts with a little friendly – some would call pushy – conversation. Their interaction is a little rocky, but they are ultimately interrupted by a television that broadcasts Dana’s latest news report where she is debunking the idea that the suicide rate goes up during the holidays. Seemingly startled by her own television appearance, Dana takes off, leaving Orion sitting in the restaurant alone. However, he later finds her preparing to jump off the roof of a building. He talks her away from the ledge as the two discover that they each have sort of lost their way in the world and a bond takes shape.
“Swimming to the Moon” is an interesting, well-executed short with a nice pay off. I wish it would have been a little more moving, as I’m sure it was intended, but it’s just so difficult to pull an audience into a relationship with maximum impact in such a short time. After twelve minutes, I still wasn’t completely acquainted with these characters and therefore didn’t feel the entire burn at the film’s finale. However, the fact that I wish there had been more says a lot. What’s here is good, I just think for the subject matter involved a longer running time would make it more effective.
