The Back Room (2008) User Reviews

Surprisingly moving

[saiwmass · 9/10 · 22 June 2009]

I never would have thought 15 minutes could be so moving. This short film packs a fairly powerful punch despite it's tiny run time. Beauitully acted by the 2 leads, it does not even feel as if they are acting. A minor fault in the writing makes the ending feel slightly forced. The simplicity of what's happening is somewhat shattered by unnecessarily overt statements. It doesn't make the whole any less poignant, but it is somewhat jarring. Oh, and I feel I must mention "The Guy", actor Dan Sturges, or at least the character he's playing, is a dream walking. Anyone would fall for him! So anyway, give it a view, and you may be surprised by what you find.

Short with High Production Values

[B24 · 9/10 · 2 November 2009]

A short film on a low budget usually has faults in camera work, sound quality, and continuity. This one on the other hand excels. For that reason alone I rate it high, even though the storyline is predictable and borders on a river of sentimentality. (In this case the river Arno.) The writer surely studied classic drama, however, to achieve such a fine balance of unities in sharp detail from beginning to end.

The closeups deserve an extra measure of appreciation from a technical standpoint. Juxtaposing colorful images of renaissance painting with comparably vivid live drama must have required many hours of exacting editing. Good job.

You need a heart of stone to remain unmoved by this

[jtreat-2 · 9/10 · 27 August 2010]

I can't improve on SAIWMASS's comments, but would strongly second them. What can you do in a 15 minute movie? It is a measure of the extraordinary skill of this director and his actors that in such a short time you feel you understand these two men just by watching them. This is understated acting at its finest. Those who don't find the interaction of these guys to be deeply touching have never known loneliness and have never had that adrenalin jolt when you suddenly realize that, without knowing how much you craved it, you have found a soul mate. This is not rated a 10 only because I wanted so much to spend more time with them in the back room. Why isn't the remarkable Dan Sturges in more movies?

Pretentious much?

[jfgibson73 · 2/10 · 20 June 2010]

I thought a short film set in a used book store sounded like a good idea. I should have guessed it would just be some stuffy art film.

In The Back Room, a man is about to lock up his bookstore when one last customer comes in to find an art book. They begin talking, and it turns out they are both familiar with the city of Florence. They discuss details of the architecture, sunsets, and outdoor cafés.

It reminds me more than anything of the movie My Dinner With Andre, which is just a long conversation of two men describing artsy things over dinner. If you saw that movie and didn't want it to end, The Back Room offers you 15 more minutes of the same boring conversation. So, light some candles, draw up a warm bubble bath, and turn on some Kenny G, and when you're done, watch The Back Room for a relaxing, culture-packed evening.