Nobody and nothing can prepare families for the unthinkable. A concerning e-mail from her son Harrison (Ben Irving) sends Julie (Bethany Anne Lind) on a race against time to find him before something terrible unfolds. Writer/director Maia Scalia’s His Mother is tragic yet riveting, making every second count in a frenzied race against time.
Julie is frantically driving through her town in hopes of locating her boy, Harrison. Something is clearly wrong, even moving Julie to the brink of tears as she tries to navigate the streets. Her husband, Jason (D.W. Moffett), is on the line, shaken by his wife’s suspicions about their son. Hints are dropped as to what might be causing her distress, but the impact is no less devastating and equally terrifying. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare, from which there is no return.
The film pulls no punches, unflinchingly laying out the details of Harrison’s disturbed acts through phone conversations that Julie must sit through. And while the filmmakers certainly handle these difficult moments with the utmost respect, Lind’s gripping performance is what seals the deal. Julie gradually sinks deeper and deeper into complete despair, with Lind managing this descent commendably.
Thrillers like His Mother only work with solid production design, and the choice to have Julie constantly on the move in her vehicle adds heaps of urgency to the story. Even more impressive is how cinematographer Matt Clegg chooses to keep his frames tight and minimal, never revealing more than is absolutely necessary to see. The plot expertly weaves in risks on the road, while Julie remains the central focus. You can’t help but hold your breath whenever a traffic light pops up on screen, with the preoccupied mother racing past it, threatening both her own safety and that of those around her.
His Mother is a gut-wrenching edition to this year’s HollyShorts Film Festival, with a somber premise and a powerhouse showing from Bethany Anne Lind that demands attention.
