Reviewed by Magdalena Ball
Misery and Other Choices
Directed by Samuel Lucas Allen
A Physical TV Company Production
2026, Starring: Vaishnavi Suryaprakash, Jake Fryer-Hornsby, Richard James Allen
Samuel Lucas Allen has just released another short film and as with his previous film, Cut, Misery and Other Choices, is a powerful and slightly disturbing reflection on eco-anxiety, grief and the difficult trade-off between hate and hope.
Though the film is only ten minutes long the questions it raises about culpability, ethics and sustainability leave a lasting impression. That the film manages to create such a big impact with a perfect mixture of black humour and horror is a testament to Allen’s skill as both writer and director. The film opens with a television image of bushfires against a slick government official, Minister Johnston, refusing to answer questions. This is immediately followed by an image of a positive pregnancy test, which is shared between a young couple, Jenny (Vaishnavi Suryaprakash ) and Charlie (Jake Fryer-Hornsby). Allen doesn’t rush any of the images, they are allowed to speak for themselves, and the two talented actors do a superb job of telling a story with their faces, allowing the viewer to engage directly with the complex mixture of emotions that pass between them.
At this point the viewer knows what’s at stake so it’s no surprise when the couple argue over whether it’s appropriate to bring a child into such a world on their way to visit the Charlie’s parents. When the couple find a dead kangaroo with a joey in its pouch in need of rescuing, and then the crashed car containing Minister Johnson bleeding out, they have a moral dilemma.
Ironically, Richard James Allen, who plays the Minister with chilling professionalism, is the director’s actual father, and as a Gen Xer myself with children who like to point out the culpability of my generation, I wonder if there’s a subtle, slightly humorous dig at the way Gen X have squandered our opportunity to do something. In any case, Misery and Other Choices reaches it’s resolution in a striking way that feels both terrifying and tender. The progression of the story is amplified by a catchy soundtrack. As you would expect from one of our most exciting up-and-coming filmmakers, Misery and Other Choices leaves a powerful impression while avoiding any form of didacticism. After a sold out premiere at the Envirionmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Captital (DCEFF), the film has now been picked up for seven festivals and nominated for an award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. There will be another screening in Sydney at the end of May and one in Melbourne in June. It’s a cracker of a film and highly recommended if you’re able to get along to one of the film’s screenings. View the official trailer here: https://vimeo.com/1166567865