Imagine Scout from "To Kill a Mockingbird" out on a dusty summer day: innocent, ignorant, and carefree. The older girl next door is her only playmate, but bullies the younger girl in order to give herself a feeling of control over her otherwise empty life. A charming and mysterious stranger enters their lives and for a time the world seems exciting and full of promise. But innocence is a gift we can only borrow--a lesson our protagonist may learn too soon.
This is a short film with a simple and predictable premise, but it does nicely juxtapose our quaint concepts of "simpler times" with the realities of the real world. It's worth the 12 minutes for the way it stays with you at the end. The acting and dialogue are very much like a play: a bit overwrought, but for a purpose. A nice little film.
