Jason (Joshua Carlin) is an Army veteran engaged in passionate conversation with Mark (Robby Bennett), a seemingly engaged bartender who patiently listens as Jason, with increasing intensity, shares the good times and the not so good times in director David Black's award-winning indie short A Soldier's Judgment. 

Written by Darren Tompkins, A Soldier's Judgment is a 23-minute short that creates a bridge to the military experience by weaving itself around one central question - "Will what I do today impact what happens to me in the future?" It's a question that, to varying degrees, every soldier asks themselves as they're forced to make difficult decisions day in and day out that can often result in life or death for themselves and many others. 

A Soldier's Judgment is an engaging, involving short film featuring two compelling performances from co-leads Joshua Carlin and Robby Bennett, though clearly Carlin is given the greatest range to work with here. The film is already proving to be popular on the festival circuit and has picked up prizes at Austin Indie Fest (Best Veterans: Long Short) and Global Shorts, Los Angeles (Special Mention). 

While A Soldier's Judgment at first appears to be a rather straightforward piece of dramatic cinema, rest assured that Tompkins and Black have created a film that goes a direction you don't quite expect and unquestionably aims for a deeper meaning that it at first appears. Brooks Cruzen's lensing works wonders despite the film's modest budget, infusing the film with an ethereal aura that transports the audience in much the same way that Tompkins' script transports the obviously traumatized Jason. 

Continuing on its festival journey, A Soldier's Judgment will resonate most fully with veterans, current soldiers, and their families and loved ones. It's a film that will move and also leave you thinking about its message long after the closing credits have rolled. For more information on the film, visit its Facebook page linked to in the credits. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic