Same Old

I saw this as part of a block of shorts at the Satisfied Eye International Film Festival and it deservedly came away with the award for Best Foreign Short.

Equal plaudits must be shared by its lead actor and the director who both give incredibly accomplished performances.

The director, Lloyd Lee Choi - with the skilful support of cinematographer Norm Li - gives the perfect amount of breathing space to allow the action and cast to play out the story.

Limin Wang, in a lead role of few words, shines in a performance where much of what he conveys simmers beneath the surface.

A vignette of one man's struggles it gives us enough to be sated but still leaves us wanting more.

There are really a few words in this short tale, showing a man trying to survive, struggling in this mad world, to make a living for him and his family. The goldfish element is more important than it seems to fully get this short movie message, atmosphere. Cheap but powerful, more than many other short films, totally clumsy. It may be disturbing, but it's really worth the watch.