Gin & Dry

Gin and Dry is a heart warming short, a successful combination of comedy, drama and tragedy set against what could be a rather depressing backdrop, a retirement home. The film presents a burst of life; a group of child like pensioners staging a heist to save Christmas, or at least to make sure the holiday is a boozy occasion. This short being only 15 minutes results in a series of concise shots and smart story telling. Opening with a sequence of beautifully shot close ups, the film maintains a warm tone, the pink and brown hues of Twin Willows, the soft lighting of Albie's room and out of focus Christmas lights. The simple soundtrack of Billie Holiday's I'll Be Seeing You is perfectly suited. David de Keyser's performance as our protagonist Albie is outstanding. Although we are only given a brief insight into his life, the audience is drawn in to really care for him. Albie's war references and musing on life drawing to a close, bring a melancholy air to Gin and Dry, making it much more than a short about an elderly bunch stealing alcohol. Although the heist is not overly developed, development of this scene would likely have brought more comic value to the film, this short's progression into a sentimental piece feels quite natural. Steering clear of cheap laughs but providing comic relief Gin and Dry is an extremely moving piece, a poignant look at the last years of life. Dealing with memory and the emotions of a group who are often forgotten about, Gin and Dry should not be dismissed as just a sugary Christmas film, and is most certainly worth watching.

Gin and Dry is a sophisticatedly delivered short film that contains a well-balanced and layered narrative. The film depicts an accurate and relatable representation of an ageing generation with nothing to lose. The film bares all the hallmarks of a classic comedic caper, whilst simultaneously can be read to ask fairly profound questions including society's treatment of the elderly and, ultimately, death and its handling. The film superbly negotiates the fine line between bitter and sweet, and with a running time of just over 15 minutes the film packs quite an emotional punch.

Set in the sparsely festive-decorated residential home of Twin Willows, the film centres on the likeable and unassuming Albie (David de Keyser) alongside an ensemble of colourful pensioners who carry out an audacious heist for the rationed Christmas alcohol. The film undoubtedly nods back, if not only shares similarities, to one of the great Ealing comedies, Alexander Mackendrick's 1949 film Whisky Galore!. Mackendrick's film follows a similarly comedic caper around the shortage, discovery and retention of alcohol; in their youth, the residents of the Twin Willows retirement home could have fitted in nicely with rebellious characters of Whisky Galore!.

David de Keyser's performance of Albie is a real standout and is critical in providing not only a straight face for the comic relief to bounce off but also to offer thoughtful and heartfelt moments. Albie comes across as maintaining a 'tortoise and the hare' approach to life. This is highlighted in the brilliantly shot, with fast paced close-ups of a speeding wheelchair, 'hallway chase' scene in which slow and steady, very much so, won the race. Indeed, from the outset the film's stylistic and technical elements can be admired, as it begins as it means to go on with a delightful extreme close-up shot of ice clinking and fizzing in a glass. As the film progresses so too does the variety of shots and stylistic choices for comedic, ambiguous and sentimental effect. The use of crash zooms during the discovery of board games instead of alcohol works well in a comedic sense as well as to keep the tempo of film going. Throughout the film the use of focus, and lack of, is used astutely, particularly for when Albie interacts with his wife Dee (June Watson). The camera would often lose Dee in a blurred out focus, brilliantly laying the breadcrumbs for the, certainly heart breaking, final scene. At this point, a special mention has to be made to the use of Billie Holiday's I'll Be Seeing You throughout the film, playing a very reflective role of the crux of the film; not least in the final scene where the piece of music becomes empty, hollow and echoing, making for moving and poignant viewing.

Thematically, Gin and Dry raises the question of how society treats the elderly. A regular criticism is the restrictive treatment of the elderly, limiting their choices, often undermining their ability and impeding on their freedom; Albie even makes a point of the fact that many of his generation, including himself, fought for our liberty in the Second World War. The narrative unfolds to oppose such restrictions and make the audience consider how we treat an older generation; to who we owe so much. A further point can be raised of the purpose the alcohol serves. It is apparent in Albie's case it is used as a form of medication to deal with a recent agonising loss, a common theme and occurrence during the twilight years, in which memories are re-lived and profound, difficult and often painful questions must be confronted.

Gin and Dry negotiates the pitfalls of a solitary location effortlessly, implementing a dynamic, fresh and compelling style onto the film. The film provides great moments of humour that make for entertaining and easy watching, whilst simultaneously delivering engaging and thought provoking issues in a truly well-rounded short film.

The story of an alcohol heist in a retirement home seems like a good combination of genres, but this short film is more focused on mortality, cherishing life and relationships than the actual 'heist'. The film looks great, Capture manage to make a dreary retirement home very visually pleasing. A very shallow focus is used, so the background Christmas lights flare up to create great looking, crisp visuals.

For a 15 minute film its ending does pack a powerful emotional punch, which is only achieved through the effective build up of the main character Albie. To feel such emotion for characters you've only known for a few minutes is quite an achievement. There is also a great continuous ending shot.

The sense of 'action' needed to be stronger during the actual heist and it could have been given more time, however this is really only one element of the story. As a whole it all fits together as a perfectly short, beautifully told story.

Gin & Dry evoked powerful thought and emotion, feeling like a real feat within fifteen minutes. Themes of ageing, the fragility that comes as a result, the often difficult transition between self reliance and dependence, are all touched on with sensitivity and a twist of comedy. What could have easily been portrayed as a dreary setting in an old people's home was shot beautifully, clever use of contrast and colours, an intricate play of camera focus and perfectly fitting music.

I thought the central character of Albie was brilliantly cast; you warm to him from the first scene. As the plot unfolds he holds key importance in the 'heist', his speech-like dialogue to the head carer resonates to the audience and the relationship he has with his long term partner definitely unfolds with grace. The close up head shots of both Albie and his wife make you very much focus on expression, and the emotive words that the characters are speaking.

The heist sequence did seem some-part rushed, but I felt it was a good energetic peak mid- film, that again brought the comedic value of the situation to a head.

Overall I thought this was a lovely and powerful short, that poses the question of whether anyone can really decide what is 'right' or 'wrong' at the later stage of one's life, the pain brought and reality of getting old, whilst being aesthetically pleasing to the eye and using comedy cleverly to convey the story.

It is Christmas time, and the elderly inhabitants of a residential home are tired of being bossed around. Determined to take matters into their own hands, they stage a midnight attack on their unsuspecting carer, and break into the stores to steal their forbidden booze. But are these really the spirits they need this Christmas?

This is a beautifully filmed short by film and animation company Capture. A shallow depth of field is employed to give warmth to this tale of ageism, passion and acceptance. Creative lighting and the twinkling of Christmas lights help create a festive mis-en-scene and set the tone of the film, while a nostalgic soundtrack evokes to the glory days of the generation who feel forgotten.

The unpredictable storyline keeps us on our toes right up until the final twist, but I would have like to have more made of the heist to create a give a greater sense of climax. Ultimately, the film teaches us to make the most of our lives and cherish each moment, before time eventually catches up with us