“Better Together”, or if we are allowed by the creators to venture an alternative title; “Expired Products”,  is a student, debut short film that follows familiar narrative routes to tell an oft-repeated story. The drama heightens in the end with a bold solution, providing to the “expected catharsis” a powerful and at the same time an awkwardly feeling turn, with that being the strongest element to an otherwise interesting but lacking in originality screenplay.

Film directors Justin Tang and Rishabh Trivedi through a juxtaposition of a series of impactful “silent” actions, inventively unfold the lurking tensions which describe “the unspoken dynamics and power relations within a domestic environment”. A gambler and drunk, self-destructive father, a tired and patient, giving mother and two despondent daughters full of dreams, kindness and thirsty for hope, build a toxic mosaic upon a delicate balance of accumulating destructive forces eager to be released at any given chance.

Overall we have the result of the first attempt of two particular creative directors who hesitate, for the time being, to take risks. And this is acceptable, by all means. Besides this is what the creative process is all about. But this will change in the course of time, as creative maturity kicks in. 

“Better Together” bears in an embryonic state the potential of a most promising future.

Technically the film is particularly interesting, with the cinematography being its strongest facet, still pacing and structure are slightly victimized, as we mentioned, for the safety of the “right” choices. In addition, the absence of an original score weakens the overall depth of emotion.

This short film is a flower that was involuntarily deprived of its full blossoming. 

But it remains a flower. And its gardeners will create many splendid and delightful gardens as they move through the vast, wild fields of filmmaking.

Kiriakos Kotsinis, MA
Film Critic

Kiriakos Kotsinis

BSc, MA