This is a film about a guy who is bad with girls, and many of us can relate to that. And like many sensitive guys who are bad with girls, he longs for his cute roommate Rachel. She's very friendly and not bad on the eyes, and her personality is exactly what Pete wants in life. I won't ruin it, but you can't help but completely relate and feel for this guy.
Boris CiFuentes may be known as a guy who handles lighting and cinematography in the indie scene in New York, but he's very deft as a writer/director. He brings a mature and sensitive approach to the and story, creating life-like characters who jump off the screen. Movie lovers will see themselves in the tale.
The editing is crisp and tight, as Boris leaves nothing up too long. Every cut is deliberate and the pacing is perfect. It's a short film, but it isn't too long, which seems to be a huge problem for short filmmakers. The film is damn near the perfect length for a short.
The actors bring depth and life to Pete and Rachel. Sarah Midlin creates a believable, care- free New York girl, while Richard Zekaria's Pete is human, but ultimately flawed. If Boris had a cast a lesser actor, the audience would be screaming at the scene for Pete to stop whining.
The overall production is excellent, and Jon Fordham's cinematography, done using a DVX100 from Panasonic (it may have been the "A" series) in 24p mode and other settings which add to the look, is wonderful. He captures the images perfectly, adding to Boris' story, but not detracting the viewer from it. Most directors want to shoot their films themselves, or they'll work too close with their director of photography, sacrificing everything for slick camera moves. Boris trusts Jon, and the end result is excellent.
All in all, it's a story that is very New York, but still could take place anywhere. It's a story that reflects how 20-somethings feel, act and react in the modern United States and perhaps the rest of the world. It's not easy to find or "grab" the right person, even if you live with that person. Boris' "Rachel" is a powerful testament to that loneliness.
(Coming soon: "Rachel 2: Die Harder," where Rachel and Pete find themselves in sunny Miami fighting corrupt cops and powerful Columbian drug dealers.)
