Briar

Creepily entertaining short subject from director Brianna Hurley. Cast, crew, dialogue, cinematography, design, soundtrack all on point... Ms Hurley certainly knew how to make the most of her COVID lockdown and I look forward to her future projects...

Briar is a fantastic short horror film that I just took in at the Coney Island Film Festival. It centers on the main character Briar and shows how she is, or more accurately isn't, handling her lockdown.

The film opens with a montage of news and images coming through on a television that highlights the state of the world in the early days of the pandemic (bodies being wrapped by people in hazmat suits etc.). The last image is an apartment window where we see a woman looking out through her barred windows and outside gate. A perfect metaphor for the "prison" that we were all in during lockdown.

Once inside the apartment we see Briar. A young woman who is quickly shown to be fed up with her current situation and on the verge of cracking. Recorded phone messages from her father and her psychologist highlight the isolation of Briar from her loved ones. Even though they are there for her they can't be "there" for her. From there we see other traumas that have contributed to Briars condition and leads to it's shocking conclusion.

The direction, editing, score and writing as well as the work of the supporting cast are all fantastic but the two things that really stood out to me while watching are the cinematography and lighting by Arthur Woo. Knowing the limitations of where the film was shot I was constantly amazed at how professional it looked. If I was told that it was shot in a studio I would have believed it. The other stand out in the film is the acting by Brianna Hurley. The character of Briar is a complex one that is a rollercoaster of anger, depression, panic, subtle breakdown and pure murderous rage and her performance is so effortless that you can not help but to give her your full attention.

In short Briar is a fantastically crafted film full of mood and suspenseful horror with a fantastic look and an amazing performance. If you get a chance to see it don't blow it.

BRIAR is a totally compelling short film that leaves you turning the story and images over in your head well after having watched it. Even though this short takes place during the pandemic, it really feels like a metaphor for any individual who wants to move forward in a world that is stuck. The film opens with a close up of an old tv and images on the tv. This along with the eerie "jewelry box" soundtrack feels like the beginning of a demented fairytale. This sense of innocence continues once we meet Briar (played wonderfully by Briana Hurley) as we close in on her angelic, almost porcelain face. I find this all to be a great setup for when the actual "horror" of the film comes into play. The sense of mood is very strong in this film. The cinematography (by the incredibly talented Arthur Woo) along with the use of color and sound creates this beautifully surreal and sinister world that feels both intimate and lonely at the same time. The film is brief and leaves the viewer with a lot of questions, which I think is a good thing. Did it really happen? Was it all in her head? I highly recommended watching BRIAR and deciding for yourself.

Briar is a well shot film and Brianna Hurley gives a good performance. The downside of the film is that it's way too short lived to get any momentum going and the plot is hard to grasp, or rather the writing isn't sufficient. Something about a murder? Was Briar involved? I honestly don't know what I watched. Once again, the cinematography, acting and editing is excellent, but the film as a whole left me empty handed.