Directed by Naaji Sky Adzimah and written by leading actress Rachel Alana Handler, Isabelle’s third date with Jason goes from promising to disastrous in Astoria, where recent subway renovations cost millions of tax dollars but kept the stations inaccessible. Also starring: Wasim Azeez and Margo Gignac.
Undoubtedly, the most important factor of Derailed is what is has to say. Rachel Alana Handler captures the deep frustration that stems from the issue of accessibility. It comes with a great deal of casual discrimination and a severe lack of awareness, and empathy. Handler does a particularly good job of portraying that idea of joking about or laughing off experiences with that type of unawareness on the outside while it festers on the inside. Those small moments are a signifier of much larger issues and Handler demonstrates how it’s an everyday experience, one that’s pervasively frustrating and disappointing.
Similarly, Handler portrays all of that through her performance, it’s not aggressive but it’s determined. She’s clear and concise in her delivery of dismantling the typical rationale used against making the necessary changes for accessibility. She gives that feel of trying to nudge people in the right direction to open up their perspective, which is a very relatable struggle. Then as Derailed progresses, her vulnerability enters into the mix to round out her character well.
The only thing that doesn’t perhaps live up to those factors is the style, it’s playing things a little bit too soft. It’s got a sit-com edge to it, it’s very familiar and has that typical back and forth between past and present. So, while the dialogue and delivery themselves feel natural, they’re in need of something more grounded to see them through. Especially as the aesthetic feels very bright and clean, it can pull things away from the everyday.
Derailed is a very relatable illustration of casual discrimination and the need for a bigger awareness when it comes to accessibility. Capturing how it’s so often glazed over by those who don’t take the time to consider someone else’s perspective or minimise the presence of disabled people in society. Rachel Alana Handler does well to portray that within both her performance and the script, especially considering she’s working within a very brief runtime. It simply feels like the visual element isn’t quite clicking to emphasise the emotions and weight of the story.
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