Detective Chad Garcia is the kind of charming policeman that we’d expect to see on the crime scene of a wealthy area of Miami. However, appearances can be deceptive, as Garcia is only going to investigate a common murder, which has been committed in a dull apartment.

 

Basically, the story takes place in one room and is focused mainly on a couple of sudden, surreal events, that struggle to push the narration forward. In fact Garcia is supposed to investigate the murder of a man. Instead, he investigates the murder of a woman, who is found lying over a bed with her face covered. However, our detective is not the kind of meticulous worker who rolls up his sleeves and seeks evidence. He just tries, in the middle of his shift, to arrange a romantic date with a mysterious mistress! Here we’ve got a funny twist in the plot that draws the curtain both on Garcia and on the short.

 

“Crime” is one of the most appealing themes for the audience, as the director can manipulate time, space and chronological events in many creative ways. Even though sometimes the viewer could feel puzzled by the narration, it doesn’t mean that’s necessarily a bad thing. If each sequence or scene is a piece that connects one clue with another, all the way through to the end, the ending is definitely appreciated. On the contrary, if the audience perceives that clues and scenes are not part of a global and uniform project, they get upset and are not satisfied with the movie.

 

The director Teo Jansen tailors a surreal black comedy short. The main theme is developed in an uncommon way, as we do not have a proper murder to investigate, a culprit, or evidence. We also don't have any mysteries to solve.  The continuity is not fluid, and the short seems to be a bit fragmented. The dialogue's sound is clear, and the photography very neutral. Nevertheless we can enjoy an easy-to-view product, that in a certain way, has its own appeal.

 

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