Written and directed by Rachel Handler, who stars in the short alongside Pavar Snipe, things go horribly awry when two comedians on a work trip discover an unexpected guest in their hotel room.
Right as you jump into Work Trip you’re hit with these great old-school sitcom vibes. It feels like we’ve travelled back to the good old days of some 1990s comedy; it’s fun, it’s a little bit cheesy, it’s very coincidental and centres around a classic misunderstanding. The key difference being that you were highly unlikely to find any disabled characters in a 90s mainstream sitcom, and thirty years later, it’s still not that common, and that’s exactly why we need more entertainment like Work Trip. There’s still so much room to bridge that gap between disabled characters being included in order to talk about their disability, and it becoming the norm for film and television to simply cast disabled actors.
While that is a big part of this short given that it was created as part of the awareness campaign for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, it inspires that conversation, it isn’t entirely driven by it. Yes, it’s a great example of why that representation matters but it’s also a fun, five-minute romp. The writing has a familiar sense of humour, with a lot of warmth and it creates a great friendship between Kelsey (Snipe) and Renee (Handler). It’s paced well, the direction is simple but solid, and the atmosphere has a bouncy, friendly energy.
Rachel Handler and Pavar Snipe make for an excellent duo, they’ve got strong chemistry, and their friendship is utterly believable. They create charming, grounded personalities for their characters. It’s no surprise that Snipe is a comedian in real life as she immediately gives off that energy with a tinge of sarcasm and a deadpan demeanour. Whereas Handler adds a bubbly note, so there’s a nice balance between the two of them, their personalities complement one another.
Work Trip is a funny, nostalgic throwback to the classic sitcom. It’s got a great story with strong pacing to create something satisfying, get in plenty of laughs and still come in at just over five minutes. Rachel Handler and Pavar Snipe are a wonderful pair, they’re easy to watch, their characters are relatable and the comedic timing is well done. It’s charming, fun and leaves you wanting more.
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