Is real romance a myth, does it transcend, can it thrive in this day and age? This would be the thesis upon which three time Emmy-nominated writer/director Jonathan Hammond’s short film is built.
Fireflies in the Dusk, akin to a reimagined Jane Austen novel, seamlessly blends contemporary comedy and unconventional period pieces, complemented by a touch of sci-fi. Though these three categories might seem wildly different, you would be surprised at how bridging the gap can result in hilariously timely and oddly horrifying revelations for all involved.
Charlotte (Emily Goss) is a hopeless Victorian-era romantic, fantasizing about retreating into the arms of her distant lover Zachary (Nick Ballard), as they exchange letters of all sorts. To call this courtship long-distance would be a stretch, as it bends the rules of space and time itself, with both Charlotte and Zachary making use of an interdimensional office desk and cabinet to write each other – Charlotte from the late 1800s and Zachary from 2025. Sounds like an endearing premise, right? Well, it’s all perfectly ideal until Charlotte’s traditionalist mother, Edith (Amy Yasbeck), makes an ultimatum that her daughter is to marry a suitor with haste. Opposing this decision, Charlotte dives headfirst into the cabinet, crawling into Zachary’s world and a 21st-century environment she knows nothing about.
The production design (Marie Jach) is stellar, from the mundane office cubicles to the beautifully decorated interiors of the British Empire’s Golden Age.
Co-writers Jonathan Hammond and Ryan Roach make the absolute most out of this fish-out-of-water story, as both Charlotte and Zachary encounter significant barriers once their relationship becomes a physical reality. And it’s not just the two loverbirds in crisis, but Charlotte’s pompous suitor, Cecil (Hale Appleman) who also wormholed his way through the portal, who finds love in the most unconventional way. It’s all outrageously funny, and in some aspects, Hammond and Roach have penned a very potent commentary on modern romance.
The story is brisk, at times perhaps a touch too keen on moving things along, with some characters being better developed than others. Cecil and Zachary’s mildly overbearing boss Martin (Drew Droege) steals every scene, and with Charlotte left pondering her new existence, Zachary can feel like the odd man out with a somewhat rushed third act.
However, this does not distract from the performance one bit. The ensemble is excellent across the board, with Goss a confident lead, injecting Charlotte with the right dose of naivety that guides her bumpy lifestyle transition. Therapy sessions, office parties, the works, and she does it all with her magnificent gown in tow.
Fireflies in the Dusk bends its genres effortlessly into a surprisingly hilarious, possibly divisive but no less poignant dramedy that has much to say about the changing times.
