It's always a treat when something crosses my desk from director David Graziano. Say Hello is a 16-minute crime-based thriller centered around one Lt. Cole (Kasia Skolasa), a cop with a traumatic background, a daughter to support, and an easy/uneasy relationship with a local mob boss named Marconi (Graziano himself). When Marconi calls in a favor, Lt. Cole is faced with some difficult choices to make. 

This is a smooth, breezy cinematic machine like we've come to expect from Graziano and his frequent collaborators including an always spot-on Christopher Di Nunzio working as DP and lighting up this mother with fierce tension and stark, brutal humanity. The story is co-written by Skolasa with Killarney Traynor and it's a dialogue centered, character-driven story that pulls you in and holds your attention throughout. 

All three players here are impressive, Skolasa grabbing the most attention as a complex cop living on the edge. Graziano nicely captures the grizzled, unpredictable nature of this charismatic yet volatile mob boss while both Claire Aucoin and Killarney Traynor also impress. 

Graziano's work often finds him mining similar territory. It's also fairly easy to say we've seen similar stories before, however, Say Hello stays fresh throughout and the ensemble chemistry is incredibly engaging. There's more than you expect to unpack here and kudos must be given for not just the dialoguee but the narrative structure created by Skolasa and Traynor and amplified by Graziano's disciplined, steady direction. 

You may have seen a story like this before, but with top-notch storytelling, terrific direction, and a compelling ensemble you'll find yourself wanting to see it again. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic