Stain ★★★☆☆

Review of 'Stain' which can be found here at Renderyard

Length: 05:36
By writer/director Javi Reszcynski
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Logline: A germaphobe childminder finds there is such a thing as being too clean when she encounters the stubbornest of stains.

Not too bad. As with most shorts, it could be shorter. It's a one punchline movie that takes too long to deliver it's reveal. The self titled "stain" doesn't turn up until midpoint after a set up which was a little too lengthy for me. Saying that, it's an easy watch and contains enough juice to keep you guessing about where the film is taking you. Story wise, you can't help but wonder how Miss Ultra Clean wouldn't run to the taps to scrub her face immediately after being splashed by ba
Elisa Nicole gives a naturalistic performance though the award should probably go to little Henry for squirming on queue when having his face wiped. Points are deducted for his ear splitting screams though (check your audio levels people) which spike in an otherwise unobtrusive and disappointing soundtrack.

Uses a mixture of handheld and static camera shots which work well together and the washed out starkness of the colour scheme does well to add to the sterile 'too clean' world of the main character as well as highlight that darn stain to good effect. The edit is tight with exception to a few shots which look like they've been reused and the jarring cuts in the climactic scene. Although I liked the title and end credits effects I was little impressed by the special effect used on the last image.

Comes with this clumsy description on the website which I'd highly recommend revising - "The neat world of a neat babysitter collides with spilled baby food. She is not aware of the power of a stain. Neither she imagines, her routine can be destroyed by an extra- wash." Perhaps the filmmaker should approach Dove and get some cash for doing some sly product placement advertising in there too.

Best Bit: Showing someone taking a slash. Twice.

Worst Bit: Baby screaming loudly.

Final thought: Who brushes their teeth before having a shower any ways?

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.