What Jack Built (2015) - Welcome to my stumbling block. Usually I do some kind of intro to my review of a film followed by a minimalist summary of the film meant to introduce the reader without spoiling it; a habit more reviewers should adopt of not spoiling films. What Jack Built is essentially a one-trick pony, or O. Henry type story if you will. The 11 plus minutes of the film is one continuous experience with a conclusion and the best way I can introduce it without giving away too much is to say: meet Jack...he builds something. Yeah, the title kind of says the same thing, huh?
Here's the setup: Take Timothy J. Cox, have no dialogue, and let him rummage through an artfully stocked workshop with a goal of building something that's going to keep the viewer in suspense for the duration of the 11 plus minutes of running time.
Now maybe to a novice or someone with a blockbuster movie only mentality this may not sound like much. Considering what I have been learning about Timothy J. Cox's acting ability through more of his films as I watch them, it is brilliant! In the first short I watched him in, I had remarked on how much Cox speaks to the audience on a non-verbal level beyond the script. Now put Cox in a film where that is his only form of communication, and of course he pulls it off wonderfully.
I had touched on the well stocked workshop in this and would like to give PROPS to John Heerlein for his amazing art direction (oh, stop the booing, it was too a funny pun...WAS). I can't say it would be my dream workshop because there's so much stuff I'm afraid I would be lost in it, but despite all the stuff lingering around it has order to it, deceptively, and is not just strewn here and there.
Matthew Mahler does the direction and cinematography keeping his composition tight. He does not stray from his central subject, Jack. This is obviously good as Timothy J. Cox's acting is what moves this along. Additionally Mahler provides the soundtrack, an upbeat synth soundtrack that raises the tempo and keeps with the tone of the story.
I have a few minor quibbles. The biggest of them is I'm not a fan of The Lady, or the Tiger? or alternatively Tarantino's briefcase. Though I have to a degree put that off on myself as some people do like a raw story they can decipher for themselves. The other quibble is on the aforementioned art direction I previously applauded. For someone with age on them, uh...like someone else I know..ahem, it's going to be easy to pick at the inconsistencies of some of the props in this story. Most people though won't even see it, or care, and so it very minor.
Overall it is a well done film providing an, I would think, ideal platform for Timothy J. Cox to entertain and have fun doing it. I did want just a little bit more out of it, but I'm more than satisfied with what I saw. It's only just over 11 minutes and well worth a watch.
I give it 4 Daggers.
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