Trouble on a Plane

I had the pleasure to see Trouble on a Plane at the 2008 Clermond-Ferrand Short Film Festival, which, as a film buyer for a television network, I try to attend every year. Being a fan of good old fashion murder-mysteries, I was pleasantly surprised that this film was not only paying homage to the queen of crime novels, Dame Agatha Christie, but also to her country man, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, the king of crime and suspense movies! From the moment the opening credits start to roll, you know you're in for a treat. Done in a very Saul Bass style, the animated opening immediately takes you into a world of sophistication and style where cocktails are served at 10,000 feet and a murder mystery is right behind the next cloud. As the credits set the mood for the rest of the film, plot-point one immediately happens when the airline stewardess (doesn't that just sound way more exotic than flight attendant?) offers a cocktail to a non-response passenger named Dr. Edwards. She quickly realizes that the mysterious doctor is dead and it looks like he's been poisoned. But who of the three other passengers on this private jet would want to kill the doctor, and who even knew him? In the five minutes that follow, we are served three short stories within this well-written seven minute film, in which we discover each passenger's connection to Edwards. There is the business man, the star ballerina and the nerdy looking accountant. But who did it? What amazed me so much about this film is the fact that I was served four different stories in such a short time-span, which really showed me the talent of its director-writer, Maxime Brulein. I have seen Brulein's other work and although each of his films are all very different from one another, they all have the typical Brulein-touch: sophistication. So if you have the chance to see Trouble on a Plane, jump on board and enjoy the flight. This is one little jewel of a film you will enjoy long after the end credits fade to black.

What an awesome film! I adore the style of, 'Trouble on a Plane'. A true homage to Hitchcock! A must see for all Hitchcock fans. The actors in this piece are second to none especially Hollie D Larkey and Christina Maria Davis. Such great decisions have been made by the Director, Maxime Brulien. This film intrigued me so much that I just had to see Mr Bruliens other projects and he is an extremely talented Director. I look forward to seeing his future works. So pat on the back to you Mr. Director! Great production values, sound, costumes, actors, direction, script. I can go this but quite frankly I think you should just watch it.

One of the most entertaining shorts I've seen this year ('08).

It's Witty, clever and engaging. Character choices are commendable. Each dialog balances one another.

Wardrobe are simple, yet effective. The performances were believable, especially Mr. Bertrani. The storyline kept the viewer engaged. Every second was entertaining, as a good Short Film should be.

The Art Direction was superb. The neutrality of the interior of the plane sold me.

The sound mixing added to the ensemble brought it up a notch. Just amazing.

The edits were flawless, each cut was very effective as the story progressed. Each sequence fit in place like a jig saw puzzle.

Hitchcock would be proud.

A proof of how simple storytelling with minimal flash is by far still the best form of creativity.

Amazing film!

I actually had the opportunity to see this film at a festival, and it was brilliant. Highly artistically stylized in every way to create a beautiful masterpiece. Hitchcock would be impressed and flattered.

The story keeps you guessing and is incredibly well written. A great story told through powerful and artistic cinematography that proves that less is more when done this way.

The costume design and art design creates a believable atmosphere and is just so much fun.

I would love to see more from this Director, Maxime Brulein- He is a force to be reckoned with!!