Two sons and an aging mother. One son is essentially her full-time carer, the other does little but is more successful in his life and career. This short film looks into these lives, which are created in a mix of paint on walls, and real objects, delivered in stop motion.
The most immediately impressive thing about his film is the craft of course. It is loaded with awards and praise, and many have said it already, but the stop-motion approach is really impressive as it uses full-sized characters painted onto walls, has real objects, and lots of creativity in the delivery. Simple touches are great, but of course the more complex movements are most impressive (for example, where depth and perspective exist on the flat surface). If this was the only craft involved then it would still be worth a look, but it is not – and the characters are just as well painted in who they are as in terms of their creation. The dynamic between the brothers, as well as individual feeling and action are all convincing created and delivered. Technically the animation allows these small touches to expressions, but the writing and voice work is what helps it most. I was caught off guard by the degree of honesty and realism in the characters and the narrative.
These qualities combined tell you why the film has been so successful, and certainly it is a memorable watch with a lot of crafting in all the places where it matters.
