The death of a family member can take its toll on anyone. All this life that once filled yours with glee and love has been replaced by this void; this emptiness that lingers as memories turn and churn in your mind. It’s hard, changing your life for the worse and reminding you that no one lasts forever, the futility of morality and the aching pain encompassing your world.
But there are some people out there who, when the death of a loved one happens, are unsure of how to feel because of a turbulent relationship. Or a connection that simply never existed: How do you mourn a significant family member that you hardly knew?
Through black and white, this poignant short has the right balance between drama and comedy that is rooted in coming to terms with a loss. With the incredible writing from Morgan Foye and Watson’s alluring direction that sweeps this journey in this redolent nature, Urn is teaming with an enthralling premise. The film is weighted in the emotion and the conflict inside of our leading character who is struggling to deal with a somewhat grief and his confrontation with his father’s absence. There’s a lot to take away here which is terrifically done and embellished with a stirring performance.
After all, it is the acting that is vital into enhance the evocative script and luckily, the film is aided by the talents of James Clay. Here, he is charming yet bleak as he escorts this “Dad” labelled Urn across his home town to swing sets and rooftops. Challenging his emotions and using the ashes to extrapolate his inner monologue - a conversation piece for his troubles. This is an evocative performance that has the right levels of humour but doesn’t drown the sensitive issues underneath. Clay is compelling and terrifically so.
Coming from his short Twelve which had a successful run throughout festivals and looking towards his first feature, Urn is a film that is filled with depth, striking shots and a guided performance from Clay. As it, similarly, runs towards the festivals, it is a must see for anyone who has ever had trouble with their family - a cathartic film for dysfunctionality and human loss, Urn is a spectacular short.
Urn: trailer from George A Watson on Vimeo.