Omeleto | THE REWRITE | Omeleto @Omeleto | Uploaded May 2024 | Updated October 2024, 9 hours ago.
A screenwriter asks for feedback.
THE REWRITE is used with permission from Ken Aguado. Learn more at twitter.com/kaguado.
On a dark and stormy night in 1949, Raymond summons his estranged writing partner Harold to his home. Though they no longer work together or get along, Raymond asks Harold for his notes on his final writing effort: a note explaining why he's ending his life.
Cutting and critical, Harold says Raymond's note needs a major rewrite. Harold settles down with a drink at Raymond's typewriter and begins to pick apart the note. As they work together, their history -- along with a litany of past grievances -- comes out. Raymond had stolen Harold's ideas and taken the credit, and now Harold is using the opportunity to get his revenge. But as the two square off, it all comes down to who is the better writer in the end.
Directed and written by Ken Aguado, this short drama is a well-appointed, stylish neo-noir with an intriguing premise and some elegantly nasty characters, which all combine in a clever two-hander about resentment, bitterness and the cut-throat nature of success. Part of the film's pleasure is its evocation of the film noir genre, from the stylized, expressionistic use of black-and-white to the slightly heightened dialogue to the icily lurid classical film score. But it's also a distilled exploration of the darker impulses of human nature, making it resonant to contemporary audiences.
As a two-hander, much of the storytelling unfurls in the compressed format of two characters, playing out conflict through dialogue. Much like the films of Hollywood's golden studio era, this conflict here is given a heightened, mannered gloss, both in the dialogue and performances. Yet what comes through is Raymond and Harold's mutual enmity, which seethes from the top of the scene and continues to build as the initially shocking premise plays out.
But the premise fades as Raymond and Harold trade barbs and their complicated history unfurls. It's one littered with double-crosses, betrayals and resentments, particularly held by Harold, who has gotten short shrift during their ill-fated collaboration. Actors Chris Geere and Chris Webster as Raymond and Harold, respectively, deftly capture an older, more old-fashioned style of performance, but they also convey the real emotions of anger, contempt and jealousy underneath the surface. When Harold turns the tables on Raymond, it's no surprise, leading to a tense stand-off and a battle of both wits and guile.
Compelling, stylish and intelligently executed, THE REWRITE ends with a cynical, bitter but ingenious conclusion, fitting for a pair of cynical, bitter but ingenious characters and a genre noted for its fatalism. Like many of the great classic film noirs, ranging from THE MALTESE FALCON to even more modern riffs like CHINATOWN, it's essentially a study of moral corruption and how far someone will go to get what they want, manipulating reality to reflect their will to power.
A screenwriter asks for feedback.
THE REWRITE is used with permission from Ken Aguado. Learn more at twitter.com/kaguado.
On a dark and stormy night in 1949, Raymond summons his estranged writing partner Harold to his home. Though they no longer work together or get along, Raymond asks Harold for his notes on his final writing effort: a note explaining why he's ending his life.
Cutting and critical, Harold says Raymond's note needs a major rewrite. Harold settles down with a drink at Raymond's typewriter and begins to pick apart the note. As they work together, their history -- along with a litany of past grievances -- comes out. Raymond had stolen Harold's ideas and taken the credit, and now Harold is using the opportunity to get his revenge. But as the two square off, it all comes down to who is the better writer in the end.
Directed and written by Ken Aguado, this short drama is a well-appointed, stylish neo-noir with an intriguing premise and some elegantly nasty characters, which all combine in a clever two-hander about resentment, bitterness and the cut-throat nature of success. Part of the film's pleasure is its evocation of the film noir genre, from the stylized, expressionistic use of black-and-white to the slightly heightened dialogue to the icily lurid classical film score. But it's also a distilled exploration of the darker impulses of human nature, making it resonant to contemporary audiences.
As a two-hander, much of the storytelling unfurls in the compressed format of two characters, playing out conflict through dialogue. Much like the films of Hollywood's golden studio era, this conflict here is given a heightened, mannered gloss, both in the dialogue and performances. Yet what comes through is Raymond and Harold's mutual enmity, which seethes from the top of the scene and continues to build as the initially shocking premise plays out.
But the premise fades as Raymond and Harold trade barbs and their complicated history unfurls. It's one littered with double-crosses, betrayals and resentments, particularly held by Harold, who has gotten short shrift during their ill-fated collaboration. Actors Chris Geere and Chris Webster as Raymond and Harold, respectively, deftly capture an older, more old-fashioned style of performance, but they also convey the real emotions of anger, contempt and jealousy underneath the surface. When Harold turns the tables on Raymond, it's no surprise, leading to a tense stand-off and a battle of both wits and guile.
Compelling, stylish and intelligently executed, THE REWRITE ends with a cynical, bitter but ingenious conclusion, fitting for a pair of cynical, bitter but ingenious characters and a genre noted for its fatalism. Like many of the great classic film noirs, ranging from THE MALTESE FALCON to even more modern riffs like CHINATOWN, it's essentially a study of moral corruption and how far someone will go to get what they want, manipulating reality to reflect their will to power.
