Written and directed by David Barros, Filipe Santos is a man whose wife has been brutally murdered. The police can’t find the killer and Filipe starts an investigation on its own. However, the more he searches for the truth the more twisted his methods become. Starring: Manuel Amaro and Telmo Bento.
The story that Bright Red explores is a classic one, the horrific loss of a loved one setting someone down a dark path that they will have to overcome or succumb to. Its foundation is clear and the hateful, pained tones are definitely there, but it can feel like it’s focusing on too small of a portion of this story. It’s of course possible to determine the rest, it’s a clear path but without delving into any of it, it doesn’t allow the film to build an emotional layer. To provide a stronger sympathetic vein to more fully connect with Filipe’s (Telmo Bento) motivations.
Granted, it’s a very difficult line to walk in short film, to not spend too much time trying to expand the story and pushing it beyond its limitations but at the same time, Bright Red needed a little bit more to flesh it out. Especially as without that emotional connection, it can add an unintentional coldness to Filipe’s actions, even if they are arguably justified. It simply needs extra context to connect viewers with his search for vengeance. As the performance from Telmo Bento definitely creates that desperation and darkness, how Filipe’s grief is pushing him towards extreme solutions.
However, another part of the problem is David Barros is employing a truly frantic style and tone, which while certainly appropriate for the material, isn’t always satisfying. It’s not sitting still long enough to fully establish itself and the film’s intentions, or to give it a definitive direction. The tone and atmosphere are there but there’s a tendency to lean on those close-up shots a little too heavily, which intensifies that frantic nature even further. Undoubtedly, you can see the intention there to embrace his mental state but with it being so consistent, it’s not as effective.
Bright Red has a strong foundation and hits the right notes in its themes and atmosphere but it simply needed to explore a little further for its story to land more strongly. Both Telmo Bento and Manuel Amaro give great performances, and the visual quality is there but the direction is hitting a lot of the same notes throughout and relying upon the frenzied side of the equation, which doesn’t allow for the emotional layer of the story to find the light. There are some good ingredients here, but everything doesn’t quite come together as effectively as it could have.
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