Countdown to Thirteen: Dust (2013)

Another good short Jodie Whittaker was in.  Although her role admittedly doesn’t give her much to do, the short itself is pretty neat.  Like Roar and Mr. Dorothy, its story takes it to some unexpected places, but to me, the twist holds up better here than it does in those other shorts.

As a mother and her young daughter, Jessica, make their way home, they’re shadowed by an older man trailing after them at every step of the way.  As the two settle in for the evening, the man lies in wait, for reasons soon to be revealed.

The headline here is that the older man – Todd, though the name really doesn’t matter – is played by Alan Rickman.  While the short is pretty minimalist, Rickman is still very effective in the role.  Even in the decidedly-creepy act of tailing Jessica and her mom, there’s something in the way he carries himself that makes you unsure of how the short is going to go.  You can feel the menace there, but how much of that is about his true intent, and how much is simply the mystery that surrounds him?

Jodie Whittaker plays Jessica’s mom, and honestly, there’s not much to say.  Given that it’s a story about a mother and child being followed unawares, she’s not called upon to do much of anything other than “act ordinary,” the better to up the dramatic irony as we watch Todd dog their steps.  And “ordinary,” in this case, also means pretty nondescript.  She has a single line – in fact, she has the only line in the entire short, but it’s a mundane one whose only significance is the fact that the short has no other lines.

Accent Watch

Sounds Northern to me.

Recommend?

In General – I think so.  It’s atmospheric and interesting, and Alan Rickman is always good.

Jodie Whittaker – Naw.  This is a nothing part that anybody could have played.

Warnings

Thematic elements and dark images.