For fans of short films, A Purgatory Story offers a delightful yet emotional office comedy. It captures the essence of office life: waking up early to follow dull morning routines, rushing to work to do uninspiring tasks, dealing with annoying colleagues, and chasing a promotion that may never come-all while being micromanaged by a demanding boss. The result? Boredom, burnout, and a fading sense of joy in life.
But here's the twist: our main character isn't your typical office worker. He's a demon who has been stuck in purgatory for over a hundred years. And his job? Responding to the living who use ouija boards to reach out to spirits. The monotony takes a surprising turn when the demon starts communicating with a young woman who also feels trapped in her life. They connect on a deep level, supporting each other through their struggles.
The story feels fresh and relatable, especially for anyone trapped in the monotony of a dull job. Despite its brief 15-minute runtime, the film takes viewers on an emotional journey-capturing feelings of boredom, hope, sadness, and joy. A standout aspect of this short film is the absence of spoken dialogue. While it's not a silent film, the characters convey everything through written messages and expressions, proving that words aren't always necessary to tell a powerful story.
One thing I didn't enjoy, though, was the modern chat-style language used in their messages, full of internet slang and acronyms. Thankfully, there were no emojis, but the slang felt out of place and disrupted the mood a bit. I assume this was meant to add humor, but for me, it was more distracting than funny.
Still, the film's originality and emotional core shine through. The bond between two souls-one living, one stuck in the afterlife-makes this short film a memorable experience. It's likely to be one of the most enjoyable 15 minutes of your day.
