Ever hated somebody so much that you wanted them dead? It is the basic idea that makes "The Candidate" so undeniably interesting. This rich, multi-layered short film plays with the basic morality battles that we find ourselves dealing with every day. The hate that the main character feels is thick and delicious. We allow ourselves to like this man because we've been there too! We want him to succeed because he's worked hard and he deserves to win. And yet, shouldn't we feel bad?
This man represents those vices that we so ardently profess to abhor! He is greedy, sneaky, underhanded, conniving, vicious (just look at the slow motion shot of him scream as his cheeks become the fierce jowls of a voracious predator). We should see this man in action and care nothing for him, but then again, there but for the grace of God, go I.
This is one of those films which leaves you craving more, and I hope we get it one day. Director David Karlak gives us a delicious taste of a dark world. It just happens to be set in an office!
My advice? Go find it, watch it, savor it. It's good filmmaking.
Believe me. Once you've tasted it, you'll realize what you've been missing.
