Thom Harp is a major talent. Not only did he (and his excellent crew) meet the demanding standards of this entry into Seattle International Film Festival's Fly Film-making Challenge 2005, Harp surpassed this test and created a short film that is better realized than many a full length feature film on the big screens at present. Just as short stories are more tough to pull off than novels, short films carry the same burden - create a storyline that is immediately involving and interesting, keep an eye on the arc of the tale, and finish it off with enough aplomb to catch the viewer by happy surprise.
Kate (a very talented and camera-loved Jessica Skerritt) is at wit's end to secure a relationship with her off-to-college boyfriend and with the help of her 'co-horts' she decides to drive to the big city to be with him. Problem: Kate can't drive! Having failed her driving test X4, she engages a Safe-T Drivers instructor Mr. Meeker (a wonderfully subtle Tony Doupé) and proceeds to chatter away with the near-terrorized Meeker to the point of mishap. Yet despite her roller-coaster test drive, Kate is so committed to her obsession that Meeker assures her she WILL succeed...And so comes the resolution of the outing - with a huge dose of irony, comedy, and timing that makes this little film sparkle.
Co-written with Mike Standish, Harp achieves sharply drawn characters in a very limited time, characters about whom we care and whose comments, especially from minor characters Doug (Vincent Scott) and Kurt (Kaelon Horst), linger in that corner of the brain that traps good humor for later digestion. His direction is imaginative, creative, and solid, drawing a true ensemble result from his winning cast. A Terrific Aperitif - leaving us with hopes for a full-fledged feature!
