Abby and Emily Go To Palm Springs (2021) | Film Review
Abby and Emily Go to Palm Springs tells the story of a bickering couple who go on a trip to relax and enjoy time together. As soon as they break into a fight over food on the car to Palm Springs, however, we know they are in for a treat.
Being in a frivolous argument with your partner is something most of us can relate to. You put the towel in the wrong place and then suddenly the world is about to end. This can be a source of both good humor and intimate drama, but for me, personally, Abby and Emily just came across as annoying and childish at times.
So, what do I say to her? I feel like she won’t hear me even when she’s listening. — Abby, Abby and Emily Go To Palm Springs (2021)
I believe that are some factors that influence this personal perception. The first is the tonal imbalance of the story. The constant switching from high verbal aggression to quiet moments of intimacy makes the story tonally unsound, leaving the viewer not really understanding what they should be feeling.
Another factor which prevented me from getting personally involved with the characters was the editing. The film uses jump cuts, slow motion and non-linear collages of images and audio, giving the short an almost music-video feel. At the same time, however, it is not deconstructed enough to be an experimental narrative piece. It looks gorgeous, but the choice to externalise their feelings visually gets in the way of us connecting with Abby and Emily.
Once again, this is a personal reading of the film. I still think the short has a lot of merit, especially with the directing of actors. I just wish there was less visual noise preventing me from connecting with them.
If you think the premise of Abby and Emily Go to Palm Springs sounds like something you would enjoy, you should also check out one of our latest titles, Bonsoir (2021) available at LesflicksVOD.
This review was origially posted on Lesflicks.com
