Q to the 6 Train

Q to the 6 Train is a short film that finds an unexpected balance between drama and comedy. While the premise of a poet who can't seem to get on to a subway in connection with the trauma of 9/11 is a somber one, the director, Gabe Rodriguez, is wise to not make it a completely dour experience.

At first I was thrown off by the main character Makeida's literary agent, played by Cate Weinberg, being a kind of screwball character talking fast and comparing poetry to Twilight. But it worked simply because Weinberg has great comic timing and Rodriguez's dialog for her clicks. And it's not terribly forced either; it fits in at just the spot where the audience can use a break from the drama, and then it comes back to Makeida's conflict and is stronger.

The heart of this film, which only runs eleven minutes but has the weight of something longer, is a good one and features a performance by Audrey Lorea that has a lot of subtlety to it (in other words, the power of it comes from some restraint early on so that when she reveals her pain, it comes out naturally). The camera-work is also very good, grabbing a rich New York feel with its subway scenes. And the song used repeatedly by Rodriguez by Lisa Redford is inspirational in how it has a mix of the sad and hopeful, which is apt for the protagonist. The 'marital problems' referenced in the plot section on IMDb don't seem very fleshed out, but it's not at all a hindrance to the film itself.

What Q to the 6 beautifully reveals, inspired by the poem by Cheryl Dumesnil, is the growth possible through art and experience. It's a small tale that can mean a lot within its dimensions.

For it's brevity, you get a lot of the story and characters. It blends post-9/11 trauma of the main lead with the light comic antics of the publisher character, Liz, in a way that in less able hands would not have worked at all, and perhaps even offended. But here it works. Add the great performances with the wonderful camera work and imagery it presents, with a nice music score, especially the song on the end credits. I even admired the text style used in the opening and ending credits adding just that extra flavor to this nice film short. It's a wonderful story of overcoming your obstacles, whatever they may be, for the sake of what matters for yourself and those you love, all through the form of art.