"Five Miles Out" was undeniably lovingly shot. Picturesque English seaside with mystery and thriller elements, and mix in some human interest and mental health exploration. However, audiences are likely to leave the theater or their couches more frustrated than fulfilled.
**** Spoilers ****
It feels like it is a minor spoiler to reveal that Cass's sister that she is thinking about on this little vacation is anorexic. The details of what is going on with her is kept under tight wraps until the last several minutes, although it does seem unnecessary, especially because nothing else is ever revealed besides her eating disorder diagnosis and that she is in the hospital. The more noteworthy unfolding involves this boy she meets and his quest to swim some very unsafe territory in a nearby cave. After some procrastination on his part, he courageously undertakes his dangerous pursuit amongst abnormally rough waves and never returns. The unspecified amount of time Cass waits for him, a teardrop down her face, and a symbolic leaving of a Mars bar that she carefully took with her on this vacation- equally carefully tucked between his clothes on the rocks- signifies a tragedy. This is all the more beautiful for it's subtlety.
Unfortunately, since this is a short, a satisfactory ending suffers. Does she simply leave him there to the waves, and never tells anyone? What of her sister- exactly how sick is she, is she to seek longer term treatment; what even is her name? Or the no longer here boy's, for that matter
Questions with beauty. Mister Haigh, please make this a feature film?
