2Civ

I don't typically review shorts. To be honest, I don't usually engage with them enough (though I like to check them out at festivals) to have strong opinions and that's probably a blind spot of mine. I remember seeing this and thinking it was good, but after seeing another excellent performance from the lead actor in this one, Bobby Slaski, in a different film this year, Station to Station (2021) (which also dealt with ambiguity and nuance re: things we tend to have strong feelings/make snap judgements about), I found myself revising JEN, 28 in my head.

I've come to the conclusion this short isn't just well made, it's incredibly important and a strong testament to the value of short films. This is exactly the right length to cover the inciting action, the dilemma, and the very adult and difficult conversation that follows. It's the kind of thing that requires a second viewing, in a way, because you have to get your preconceived notions out of the way and take the characters at their word. Many of us have very clear red lines re: sexual harassment and assault. We (rightly, in my opinion) default to "believe all women," but what JEN, 28 explores is that, in many cases, everyone should be believed, not because it changes the truth of what happened or makes the wrong, right, but because it's only through discussion of these difficult topics, and understanding of other people's thought processes and motivations, we can really, truly look a problem in the face and start fixing it. Real life people cause real life problems, and neither are black and white cookie cutter (even when wrong is wrong is wrong). So prevention and solutions can't be "don't do it" and nothing more. JEN, 28 does this not only well, but in exactly the right amount of time. Trying to stretch this to two hours would result in an inefficiency and run other risks.

I grade on a curve, which I am upfront about in every review, because I always adjust my rating to factor out any limitations that are merely reflections of limited budget, time, or other resources. With that in mind, this is definitely a 10.

This film holds up very well and I credit a lot of that to David Fincher, who isn't afraid to let his characters talk and isn't afraid to leave the goriest parts offscreen. This relies on two things: actors and imagination. He trusts the actors to bring the dialogue to life (I never mind dialogue when written and delivered well) and get the material where it needs to be; and he trusts the audience's imaginations are stronger and more vivid than anything he could limit the scariest ideas to visually. I appreciate this is a film first and a thriller second and the casting and execution reflects that.