Hollywood has already given us films that make use of the so-called time loop, a narrative device in which a certain period of time, which may be a few hours or a few days, is repeated several times. When time restarts, the memories of most of the characters are reset, and they behave as if they did not know that the events are repeating. The plot may have one or more central characters who become aware of the repetition, but, as the story proceeds and they try to change the course of events, the effects may be irreversible, which is not the case in the short film "Two Distant Strangers".
The rapper Joey Bada$$ plays Carter James, an African-American cartoonist who wakes up in the bed of a woman he does not know, with whom he has been involved, intending to return home to walk his dog. However, on leaving the apartment and after a misunderstanding, a police officer stops him and acts aggressively, ending up killing him. After his death, Carter wakes up again stuck in the same morning and, no matter what he does, the same thing always happens to him. The situation repeats itself over and over, although his murder occurs in different ways. As the protagonist searches for alternative ways to survive, this powerful short film works towards its logic.
Directed by Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe, the film won the Oscar for Best Short Film at the 2021 ceremony and can be seen on Netflix's streaming platform.
With a running time of just over 30 minutes, the fine film "Two Distant Strangers" is truly impactful, conveying a strong message of social criticism against racism, with allusions to real situations of police violence and other racially motivated crimes that have occurred in the United States of America. The theme is truly current and the story is presented with great technical quality, which is why we recommend it.
