The coming-of-age film is not something uncommon or new – particularly in short films. Quite often they are cheerful or cheering affairs (partly nostalgia), and then sometimes they are very dark or traumatic moments. This short film manages to be somewhere in the middle, which is a realistic spot for it to be. We see Sonya already quite sharp and able to exist in an adult world, however in the few scenes we are with her we see her confidence grow into being more assertive and decisive. For an age normally associated with going with the crowd and such (as we see in her friend), this transition is a positive one, and the film leaves us with this refined Sonya.
On the way though, the moments have several darker aspects to them. The first for me (as a snob) was the tawdriness of the sexual encounter; the cheap shirted guy in the club, the dirty flat filled with empty bottles like they are trophies (which to them, they are). Maybe it is the father in me, but this smacked of realism and had big life moments (losing virginity, sort of, and standing firm on what she wanted) but at the same time they happen in this way – not in some romantic or dramatic situation which makes for a perfect moment. The second aspect is that Sonya's transformation is flawed, and again not the rose- tinted actions of some. Instead her assertiveness is not informed by wisdom, and the final shot shows that by contrasting the strength on her face, with the stupidity of her deed.
It runs a bit long for what it does, but it hits the small details well, making it work as a genre film but adding a realism and rough edges in a satisfying way.
On the way though, the moments have several darker aspects to them. The first for me (as a snob) was the tawdriness of the sexual encounter; the cheap shirted guy in the club, the dirty flat filled with empty bottles like they are trophies (which to them, they are). Maybe it is the father in me, but this smacked of realism and had big life moments (losing virginity, sort of, and standing firm on what she wanted) but at the same time they happen in this way – not in some romantic or dramatic situation which makes for a perfect moment. The second aspect is that Sonya's transformation is flawed, and again not the rose- tinted actions of some. Instead her assertiveness is not informed by wisdom, and the final shot shows that by contrasting the strength on her face, with the stupidity of her deed.
It runs a bit long for what it does, but it hits the small details well, making it work as a genre film but adding a realism and rough edges in a satisfying way.
