This contemplative short film from writer/director Josh Downey examines through sound, image and quiet presence the oppressive gloom that invades one's very being when holding regret deep within.

Downey directs the film in a simple and straightforward manner without gimmicks or distracts. Sutton Smith portrays a nameless man whose identity is found only within his morose facial expressions and sullen body language. Downey's film doesn't spoon feed us a back story or even anything resembling a real plot but, instead, allows us to observe the inner workings of this man's obvious state of emotional paralysis and inability to move forward or backward.

The score from Jeff Goulet complements the film quite nicely by eliciting an unsettled sadness that brings to mind this man's abstract, intangible trauma that has left such an indelible impact.

One Word is available for viewing in its entirety at the top of this review. While there are moments when the low-budget nature of One Word is obvious, especially with the occasionally out of balance sound mix, the film itself is an impressive fusion of sound and vision working together to create an imaginative and thought-provoking short film.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic