Rehearsal with an improv group leads to a tense standoff in writer/director Colton Caulfield’s comedic short film A Tight Squeeze. Thanks to a recommendation from a friend, eager young actor Remi (Rinzin Thonden) has snagged himself a callback with Small Wins, an indie improv group. His tryout quickly slips out of control as formidable team captain Bobby (Keegan Garant) finds himself in a mortifying mishap that only Remi witnesses. Caught up in the secret, the group’s improv scenes provide the setting for a charged battle of wits between the two performers.
A Tight Squeeze is a sharp and well-drawn film that straddles the line between tense thriller and absurdist lowbrow comedy. From the opening scene, each ridiculous element is treated with utter seriousness, imbuing the low-stakes conflict with a thrumming anxiety to great comedic effect. As he psyches himself up for his audition, Remi stares at himself in the mirror, chanting, “no mercy” and shadowboxing his reflection. It feels like he’s preparing for a brawl rather than a group of amateur comedians playing ice breaker games in a small local theater. The tension only builds as Remi and Bobby stumble through the mishap, a hilariously bizarre incident that unsettles them both. Shaken, Remi doesn’t know how to react, trying to stay in Bobby’s good graces as he navigates the fallout. As the two find themselves facing off in a series of improv exercises, every uncomfortable look and charged exchange seems to bear the weight of their shared secret.
Caulfield’s experience as an improviser in New York City shines through his script as he lovingly lampoons the artform and its community with a keen specificity. The world is well-built, with familiar dynamics and outsized archetypes to flesh out the ensemble around our leads and provide doses of self-aware humor. Obsequious team member Daniel (Ryan Gurian) is a quickly recognizable figure and a comedic highlight, a verbose performer with deadpan delivery who treats their work with the gravity of Shakespearean drama.
Caulfield also produced the moody score that magnifies the tension bubbling between Remi and Bobby. Fantastically mixed and immersive, the deep tones seem to echo Remi’s inner thoughts and anxiety, drowning out the sound in the theater as he fixates on the accident with Bobby.
Alexis Erey’s cinematography is vivid, dynamic handheld footage capturing the chaos of improv as Remi attempts to prove himself to the Small Wins. The camera keeps close, letting drama build in the weight of their shared glances. Glaring stage lights illuminate the group, putting Remi in the spotlight highlighting the pressure he’s under as he holds his own.
Caulfield and his team have assembled a fantastic cast led by two stand-out lead performances. Thonden nails the nervous excitement of trying to find your place in a new environment, taken to the extreme. As Remi finds himself caught up with Bobby, his timid desperation sharpens into determination as he finds a way to take advantage of the awkward situation. Garant expertly charts a contrasting path, Bobby’s confidence slowly unraveling as he tries to maintain authority in the face of his embarrassment. Together, Remi and Bobby’s interactions crackle with a spiky chemistry as they both try to navigate the secret that connects them. Caught up in their private bubble, they let their battle unfold through meaningful glances and veiled references as the team tries to keep up.
An impressive showcase for Caulfield’s numerous cinematic talents, A Tight Squeeze is a wonderfully strange short film, unique and funny as it finds dramatic tension in the trivial and the absurd.
