Love is a powerful concept, especially when two people have an affectionate and complex relationship. This is the basis of The Luckiest Man Alive, orchestrated by writer, director, and lead actress Kerri Lynn Miller. Without giving away any spoilers, the director adds a surprising element regarding the character Bobby. This makes his relationship journey with Lisa filled with intrigue for the audience.
This short film centers on Lisa, as portrayed by Miller, as a woman who adamantly loves her husband Bobby (Matt Walton) and is preparing a nice meal and cake to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. However, while the short initially appears to be funny and romantic, the story goes bleak in an instant.
The film has some brief comical moments thanks to Miller’s charismatic performance as Lisa. Add a perfectly balanced score from Adonis Tsilimparis, which goes back and forth from upbeat and intimate, to dark and emotional. What makes the film intriguing is the enigmatic plot because it leaves viewers with more questions than answers regarding the nature of Lisa and Bobby’s relationship. There are small clues that hint to difficulties in the marriage, such as numerous pills in the bedroom drawer, as well as a walker and a medical IV pole outside their bathroom.
The entire film takes place in Lisa and Bobby’s middle to upper class home, reflecting on the couple’s elegant economic status, which includes luxurious wardrobe, bathroom and kitchen. By only depicting the characters in the house, there’s a sense of claustrophobia, especially for Lisa who appears trapped and conflicted underneath her attempts to remain happy with Bobby. Even when she’s preparing a chicken dinner with dessert, she’s excited but also sad, as she drinks a glass of alcohol. Lisa conveys plenty of mixed emotions in her depressing state, showing that she loves Bobby but displays despair, hinting that their relationship has its flaws.
There are also brief flashbacks such as Lisa and Bobby wearing their marriage attire (symbolizing their happiness together), as well as a moment in a shower in which Bobby asks her about her migraines and references prison, further hinting that Lisa and/or Bobby himself may have committed wrongdoing or have legal problems. The shower, as well as the house, may be a representation of Lisa’s prison that she cannot escape from due to some sense of guilt and dissatisfaction within herself. The shower and house are crucial elements in presenting Lisa’s isolation with Bobby, reminiscent of psychological thrillers like Psycho, The Shining, What Lies Beneath, and Identity (in terms of troubled people stuck in one place, but without the heavy violence).
The Luckiest Man Alive is a story combined with romance and mystery, certifying Kerri Lynn Miller as a talented writer, actor and director. She leaves the audience wanting more, and has them sympathizing with her character’s complex and emotional state of mind with her performance.
This movie is a prime example of the joys and complications of love, but that the bond between a married couple, is challenging to break apart.
