This way up

This way up from javier cuello on Vimeo.

This way up is a short sweet 8 minute film about two funeral directors from different generations. The entire film uses no dialogue just sound and music to go with the situation and the expressions of the characters, the narrative is comedy based mainly surrounding slap stick and dark comedy with themes of death and hell portrayed in a humorous way. The two characters are father and son and the characteristic and personalities of each are delivered to the audience quite quickly, the father is very serious about his company and is a text book grumpy old man the son on the other half is very laid back, bored with his job and trying his hardest to make things more interesting. After collecting the coffin of an elderly woman the journey to the grave yard becomes problematic, firstly the car breaks down then the coffin is continuously swept away causing breaks and cracks on the coffin and exhausting the funeral directors, each situation is humorous in its own way but it is clear that each situation requires more team work which brings the pair closer and closer together, after the journey continues through hell and finally concludes with the pair successfully laying the body to rest the father looks to the son in what first seems to be disappointment but ends up to be with happiness, it is clear that even though this was the hardest and most exhausting day of work for the man it was also the most eventful and enjoyable, a job that can be considered depressing was ironically shown to be joyful and humorous and this was all down to his son, he hugs his son and smiles concluding the film with a feel good and happy ending. It is no surprise that the film is nominated for an Oscar, I found the film creative and like no other with an imaginative narrative.