Adam (Lee Neville) finds himself torn between two women. There’s Julie (Jane Hogan), who he’s known for a long time, but he’s unsure whether there is anything else between them. Then there’s Anna (Danielle Little), who he definitely does not have strong feelings for, but who is more inclined to something casual anyway.
Three Times Moving: The Kiss Through Time is the first short film in a trilogy continuing the tale of Adam, who we were first introduced to in writer/director Lee Neville’s short film Time Stops Moving (and then its sequel, Time Always Moving). Much like before, we’re again seeing a conflicted and terribly over-serious Adam work through his feelings. And, like before, there’s no joy to be found.
What has improved over the years is the production itself. While production design is still sparse, and most action is stuck in Adam’s apartment, there is a feeling of a broader world involved. The camerawork is more assured, and the filmmaking itself is more polished. The technical elements needed to set a competent filmmaking base line are all there.
But, once again, I struggled with the melancholic tone of the piece, and with Adam’s personality. It’s hard to believe that he is struggling with multiple women when it’s a wonder that anyone could stand to be around him at all. Morrissey would find him too bleak and overwrought.
Since it’s hard to connect with Adam, it’s hard to find a reason to care whether Adam does or does not find love with either Anna or Julie (or what his problem truly is). If you can’t find a reason to care, then the narrative becomes rather thin. Can part two of the Three Times Moving short film trilogy improve upon any of this? If you don’t care about the conflict in the beginning, will you care when it continues in the next installment?
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