Abandonment is an issue we all tend to grapple with in our minds. For some, abandonment is a major fear preventing them from attaining personal and meaningful relationships, often stemming from early childhood. For others, it is seeded in the present, the fear of losing what they already have. Abandonment brings with itself an onslaught of suffering and resentments, with intrusive thoughts of rejections, jealousy and paranoia—while for others it acts as an instigator to possess what they can’t have through ill-will and poor personal moral judgement. In any case, abandonment is an issue engraved in our psychologies, waiting to pounce on our actions upon a second’s notice to fill the void within. Safe is a short drama narrative directed by emerging young filmmaker Steven Thai. It is a telling picture of how far we’re willing to go to fill our voids, and act out on old resentments simmering from within.
The film thrives on patience, portrayed by its safe sense of direction. Well-calculated frames, smooth cuts—minimal sound and set design. These all work in unison to bring the story of William Quinn, a local news editor who carries on in his daily life with a grey cloud over his head and a burden over his shoulders. A calm and somber performance by Michael Treat helps the character develop outstandingly. Williams’ character develops much like the calm before the storm. Isolated yet not overtly disturbed, focused but agitated, put-together but you can’t help to think something’s lacking. A few metres apart from his desk sits Emily Walsh, mellifluous with a beautiful smile who reaches out to William in kind, inviting him to office socials, and offering him help to meet a deadline for work. And in this process, the timid and icy William warms up to Emily and lays his vulnerable side on the table, revealing he grew up in the system, without parents. Arianna Scott’s performance as Emily fits the bill perfectly. Beneath a cloak of offering and kindness runs a demon of resentment and jealousy, representative of the unfortunate modern mindset of ‘every person for themselves’. Scott handles the role with grace and charisma, not giving away anything in the beginning to keep the twist sharp and surprising.
William is set to be promoted and become an editor, he misses the deadline Emily ‘helped’ him with, and the tables are turned. Emily becomes the editor, and the hard-working William is on the periphery looking in. How harsh a world where exposing your inner most weaknesses becomes lunch for those feeding on a table set by gluttony. Somebody say capitalism? Maybe. Or maybe we are as a species cannibals when it comes to eating each other’s souls. This dark psychological thriller certainly depicts the darker side of humanity, and the scary part about it is that it doesn’t feel fictional.
Thai is a promising director. He sets up the narrative with a slow zoom on a safe-box which William opens after the credits. We notice a black object is moved in order for William to get his computer from the safe. A bit suspicious but we’re willing to look past it, after all, he is a journalist and journalists keep their computers in a safe, right? Can you hear me shrugging my shoulders? Symmetry in the direction shows itself when we go back to the safe at the end, and the black object’s importance becomes clear. No spoilers here, let’s just say this flick doesn’t have a happy ending. Neither does life for a lot of us.
A point of exploration in the film is the title. ‘Safe’ is a word we all vehemently strive for. Safety and security in our jobs, relationships, marriages, amazon shopping choices, our food, you name it. Looking inward, ‘safe’ is the place where we store our darkest sides, and our weakest access points to our vulnerabilities. We work for years if not decades to keep a lock on these safes, making sure that no one, including ourselves can access them to prevent the incurring of pain onto ourselves and others. This film explores the consequence of what happens when triggers are pushed, the safe is opened, and compulsion rushes out in the colour of adrenaline. Horrid is the day when compulsion takes over wounds never healed, for the line between patient and insane are at times a wrong word or an action away. Safe has a run-time of 12 minutes, yet it will stay with you for a very long time.
By: Darida Rose
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