Getting Away (2019).

Getting Away is a short film from director Adam Kirkey. It follows Brenda (played by the stunning Monica Zelak) as she checks into an AirBNB that has a few surprises within. Make sure to watch the short before you read the rest of this review, because I’m going to spoil it. It’s only 9 minutes long, so you have no excuses. Here’s the film:

There are some things I really liked about this short film, and only two things that I didn’t. Let’s start with the good.

First off, I just have a soft spot for double entendre titles. Getting away for a weekend getaway AND from a masked killer? Dope. Second, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the way it handled text messaging. Some movies get this really wrong. As a single person in an AirBNB texting her boyfriend, it gave us all of the information we needed without having Brenda say a word. Most of the tension is told in pictures through the phone and this could have been massively bungled. Luckily, it wasn’t - I was very impressed.

I also really liked the choice by Mr. Kirkey to allow the characters and situational decisions to remain smart. I started to roll my eyes at the old trope of “jumped in the car, but it won’t start!” until the camera pans down to the car’s old battery sitting in the passenger seat. There are little nuances here and there, like the masks on the wall (a simple, yet effective way of foreshadowing what’s to come). As an actress, Monica Zelak is great. I’m eager to see more of her work.

My only real criticism is with the camera work - I’d love to see a bit more confidence behind the camera in the next one (this will come with time and experience). The camera is constantly moving (intended, I’m sure, to make the shots seem more ‘vogueristic’ - yes, it’s a word I just made up), even when it doesn’t necessarily have to. The quality of the shots is great, I’d just love some time to let us chill with the characters a bit without feeling like we’re always on the go.

I’d have loved to see Brenda get away, but I understand that we really only had a few minutes with her and I’m not sure how she’d have done so. I think the ending could have been much stronger if we just saw the masked character emerge from the back seat and cut before the stabbing. Again, personal preference. I could also see the Matt stabbing coming from a mile away, but that’s probably just because I watch a ton of movies.

This was a really solid short. I’m excited to check out more of his work. If you enjoyed this short, make sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel (at the link above)!