Featuring a pair of performances that wouldn’t be out of place in a feature, Rene Pannevis’ Jacked nicely showcases the continued growth of a promising director.

The constant utilisation of  narrow focus and extreme close-ups working in tandem show a director unafraid of holding a shot and letting his actors’ near-imperceptible inner emotions do the talking. The characterisation – tricky to nail in a short – is all the stronger for it.

A couple of flashier shots show glimpses of what Pannevis is capable of technically, as some bleak cinematography and a subtle score set an ominous tone of inescapable urban decay.

Mood, setting and character are effectively evoked in Jacked‘s slim 15-minutes – and if you see a more memorable James Blunt sing-along in the cinema this year, we’ll be surprised.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Thomas Turgoose, Charley Palmer Rothwell

DIRECTOR: Rene Pannevis

WRITER: Rene Pannevis, Ashish Ghadiali

SYNOPSIS: Short drama. Russell (Rothwell) and Waylen (Turgoose) jack cars – but this time they’ve jacked the wrong car. Will they do the right thing?

Jacked was screened as part of the London Calling Gala at the 2015 London Film Festival.