The
Jacksonville Film Journal
December 2000
Short Films: A-Z Reviews From the World of Independent Short Films
Only
Life
(2000)
Reviewed by Brian Matherly - bmath2000@hotmail.com
Cast: Adele D'Man
Written and Directed by: Adele D'Man
Running Time: 11 minutes
Interesting short film, told entirely with visuals and music, about a reclusive young woman (writer/director Adele D'Man) who takes solace in the literally tons of glamour magazines that litter her apartment floor. Her fear of going outside is increased by the disapproving neighbors who always seem to be on the elevator whenever she wants to get on. Some friends show up to help her clean the place up and she is ecstatic to finally be able to see the floor of her apartment again, but this excitement is short lived when she begins to miss her magazine friends. She decides to bring them all back up to her apartment, where it appears the cycle of cleaning will begin again the next day (and the day after that, as well, as it seems that this is a normal routine for her).
Adele D'Man's short film is an excellent study about self-perception and societal pressures. In an era where great emphasis is placed on the person and not the personality, the character that Ms. D'Man has created seems to be a victim of an undue need to feel loved and accepted.As one of the songs that makes up the film's "dialogue" says, "magazines are magic for lonely people" and her character lives her life by this line.
The characters of the "elevator people" are all living caricatures of this disapproving society (with their annoyed nods or tongue clucking) that "Magazine Girl" must contend with. Anyone who has ever had to face their peers in high school should directly be able to relate with her situation a great deal. And, just like most situations in real life, there is no resolution where you get to confront your "elevator people" and show them the error of their ways (unless, of course, you take your problems to a talk show).
For anyone that thinks they have it bad, I highly suggest checking out this little slice of life.
