MicroCinema Scene

Gritty drama features a professor who becomes attracted to a student with a sordid private life in An Apology to the Dead. Although initially put off by a dark, grainy look that may have been only partially intentional, I was drawn in by strong performances from the leads. Troy Randall-Kilpatrick, albeit boneheaded in some of his character’s decisions, was well-rounded, and I especially liked Jenelle Mazaris’s shaded turn as the strong-willed but wounded student. Jonathan Victor also gives a shot of kinetic energy in an edgy spin as a brutal pimp.

I found myself gritting my teeth at the professor’s reactions at times, especially in some rather sluggish scenes at home (but his indifferent students, though at times wooden, rang a bit more true). The mechanics of the script, forcing somewhat unpalatable decisions on the main characters, made it hard to identify much with the leads.

The production values are limiting, and the storytelling clanks a bit at times, but the tension ratchets up towards the end as the professor gets himself in a deeper and deeper hole. An intense denouement in a massage parlor brings the drama to a satisfying close.

Despite some shortcomings, I felt An Apology to the Dead was interesting throughout, and showcases some rising actors.

• Director: Timothy Gunn, Jonathan Worful
• Writer: Timothy Gunn, Jonathan Worful
• Cast: Troy Randall-Kilpatrick, Jenelle Mazaris, Lisa Sodman, Jonathan Victor
• Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes
• Score:**1/2
• More Information: http://www.anapologytothedead.com
• Genre: Drama

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