Omeleto | THE TOMS | Omeleto @Omeleto | Uploaded July 2024 | Updated October 2024, 5 hours ago.
A 'Tim' tries to survive in a world of 'Toms'.
THE TOMS is used with permission from Thomas Verdi. Learn more at https://thetomsfilm.com.
Tim is standing in a line, hoping to be admitted to a comedy show by a group called "The Toms." But unfortunately, Tim lives in a world run by those named Tom, and the bouncer refuses to admit Tim, to Tim's indignation. The conflict escalates, with Tim being chased away by the other Toms in line.
After this experience, Tim has had enough of living with constant inadequacy, where he is only one letter away from being a "Tom." He decides to transform into a Tom after a particularly dangerous rejection. After changing his name, he returns to the comedy club -- only to discover that being a Tom is much more than a name. When his secret is discovered, he doesn't just fight for acceptance, but his life.
Directed and written by Thomas Verdi, this high-concept absurdist comedy short traces the steps of one man to remake himself and gain acceptance in a world where being Tim just isn't enough. Tim lives in a world of Toms and faces discrimination and exclusion for not having the right vowel in his name, so Tim will do anything to gain acceptance and access to this hallowed echelon. The film's conceit is almost surreal, as is the storytelling style, with its jagged rhythms, uncanny framing and coolly muted visuals. It paints a world where Tim can't get a break or live the life he wants, all because of having the wrong vowel in his name.
The film and action work on the level of metaphor, capturing the pain of exclusion in a world that feels unfair and capricious and teasing at the complications of "passing." But the storytelling follows the narrative's conceit closely, making for intriguing, sharp and smart comedy and carried off with sly, stylish craftsmanship. Actor Barry Anderson plays Tim as an Everyman plagued with a sense of just being outside the margins, genuinely pained by his inability to penetrate the world of Toms. It's enough for him to contemplate drastic, risky action: to change his name to Tom.
It's enough for Tim to gain access to the comedy club, but he soon discovers that being a Tom is a state of mind, and his inability to embody it makes him stand out. He's caught and beaten, and even in the hospital, he can't quite get a break. Intelligent, distinctive and darkly funny, THE TOMS paints a random, almost pitiless world of haves and have-nots -- or, in this case, Toms and Not-Toms. One side holds all the levers of access, making it hard for anyone else to gain entrance unless they were born for it.
A 'Tim' tries to survive in a world of 'Toms'.
THE TOMS is used with permission from Thomas Verdi. Learn more at https://thetomsfilm.com.
Tim is standing in a line, hoping to be admitted to a comedy show by a group called "The Toms." But unfortunately, Tim lives in a world run by those named Tom, and the bouncer refuses to admit Tim, to Tim's indignation. The conflict escalates, with Tim being chased away by the other Toms in line.
After this experience, Tim has had enough of living with constant inadequacy, where he is only one letter away from being a "Tom." He decides to transform into a Tom after a particularly dangerous rejection. After changing his name, he returns to the comedy club -- only to discover that being a Tom is much more than a name. When his secret is discovered, he doesn't just fight for acceptance, but his life.
Directed and written by Thomas Verdi, this high-concept absurdist comedy short traces the steps of one man to remake himself and gain acceptance in a world where being Tim just isn't enough. Tim lives in a world of Toms and faces discrimination and exclusion for not having the right vowel in his name, so Tim will do anything to gain acceptance and access to this hallowed echelon. The film's conceit is almost surreal, as is the storytelling style, with its jagged rhythms, uncanny framing and coolly muted visuals. It paints a world where Tim can't get a break or live the life he wants, all because of having the wrong vowel in his name.
The film and action work on the level of metaphor, capturing the pain of exclusion in a world that feels unfair and capricious and teasing at the complications of "passing." But the storytelling follows the narrative's conceit closely, making for intriguing, sharp and smart comedy and carried off with sly, stylish craftsmanship. Actor Barry Anderson plays Tim as an Everyman plagued with a sense of just being outside the margins, genuinely pained by his inability to penetrate the world of Toms. It's enough for him to contemplate drastic, risky action: to change his name to Tom.
It's enough for Tim to gain access to the comedy club, but he soon discovers that being a Tom is a state of mind, and his inability to embody it makes him stand out. He's caught and beaten, and even in the hospital, he can't quite get a break. Intelligent, distinctive and darkly funny, THE TOMS paints a random, almost pitiless world of haves and have-nots -- or, in this case, Toms and Not-Toms. One side holds all the levers of access, making it hard for anyone else to gain entrance unless they were born for it.
