Ivan Kander
If you have ever had the pleasure/displeasure of sitting through a bunch of film school thesis short films, you’d notice that most tend to be long, dramatic slogs—films about depression and suicide that prominently feature people smoking in front of windows. Although not a student film by any stretch, I’d like offer up Jason Farrand’s Sensitive Guys as a public service announcement to all aspiring filmmakers out there: you too can make, deep layered films that—wait for it—don’t make you want to slit your wrists.
In the online short film world, comedy is so often presented in the form of throwaway sketches. But, Sensitive Guys takes the opposite approach. It’s a #longshort about two best buds/roommates who are moving out (and moving on). The comedic stylings are big without ever being over the top. Despite the broad jokes, Kenny and Paul (played by Michael Croner and Sergio Cilli respectively) never feel like caricatures. The film takes a simple, time-tested dramatic premise and elevates it with both humor and heart.
Based on a one act play that both Cilli and Croner wrote and performed at the UCB theater, the film does a good job of balancing character development with joke-telling. Things never get “mushy,” and there’s always a solid punchline thrown in to keep the tone and pace in check. Cilli and Croner have excellent on-screen chemistry and even better timing. And, Farrand’s direction is simple, yet assured. The film is exploring a common trope—man-boys learning to grow-up and accept the next stage of their lives. But, it does so in a way that feels nuanced and fresh.
Essentially, Sensitive Guys feels like a mature cinematic portrayal of two very immature guys. As you might guess from the solid production values, the film comes from accomplished creative stock. Director Farrand, originally from the UK, has worked on a variety of high-profile commercial projects and was the writer and director of the Starz original series Head Case. Besides appearing in a variety of other film and TV projects, Michael Croner is a Groundlings Main Company performer. Likewise Sergio Cilli (who is also an accomplished director in his own right) can be seen across television on shows like Fresh Off the Boat, Maron, and Review.