SFotD: ‘Grey’ is a Powerful Crime Film That Wrestles with Ethics and Identity

By  · Published on January 4th, 2013

Why Watch? An impossible situation, a challenge of beliefs and consistent tension, this short from writer/director Marko Slavnic is a streamlined work of criminal heroism. While trying to steal a car, a young man (William Buchanan) witnesses a gangster (Aaron Alexander) being shot. He could walk away, but then the gangster asks him to call for help and the real dilemma begins.

Acted with sweating agression and written all the way through to the final note, it’s about as taut as it gets, but instead of letting the situation do all the work, the short delivers a few nice surprises along the way. It’s not just a test of morals in the face of a severe scenario, it’s also a test of personal identity, asking whether we’d go against our own value system when faced with life and death. Turning conventional social mores on their ear, this is a formidable showing from a talented young filmmaker.

What will it cost? Only 7 minutes.

Skip Work. You’ve Got Time For More Short Films.

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Movie stuff at VanityFair, Thrillist, IndieWire, Film School Rejects, and The Broken Projector Podcast@brokenprojector | Writing short stories at Adventitious.