I'm a big fan of Mackenzie Davis; to date I've enjoyed anything I've seen her in. There's a certain evenness in her tone of voice that neatly fits the dry humor of her roles, and she carries herself with an unpretentious natural posture that's alluring in its own right. I'm thusly pleased ever more that 'Boomerang' bears a similar sardonic sense of comedy meshing perfectly with Davis' tenor. It's like this was made just for her.
There's an underhanded commentary here about social media specifically, but also the Internet at large. The addictiveness, the privacy concerns, the deleterious influence it has on both broad culture and individual users, the quasi-cult of vapid personality - it's all a massive can of worms. 'Boomerang' observes these aspects in passing with notable wit, but doesn't linger, as the short is more immediately a tongue-in-cheek reflection on how digital media totally consumes our lives, whether we want it to or not.
The film stews over its subject with a mildly fantastical bent, and still more an overarching air of sarcasm, especially in realizing those Instagram stars that plague protagonist Jenifer (Davis). Each of these characters seem too plainly ridiculous to be real, but as viewers we're also well aware that they're all exaggerations only insofar as they represent a very particular slice of social media. The assembled cast is marvelous as they embody their roles, leaning hard into the characterizations and playing up their nigh-farcical traits for laughs. Far be it from me to single one out, but Melanie Papalia is extra conspicuous as the stereotypical "workout girl," imparting a peculiarly threatening slant even as it's all in fun.
And a special shout-out to ubiquitous Richard Riehle, instantly recognizable in his cameo here and inherently lending his charm.
The wry, warped tone is further enhanced by the playful, innocent music of composer Adam Crystal, and there's an attention to lighting that boosts the marginally surrealist timbre. Anchored by an expectedly solid performance from Davis, 'Boomerang' is a delightful, somewhat twisted short film - funny, engaging, and a great credit to writer-director Matthew Frost and all involved.
Well done!
