A cramped flea market in rainy Oregon sets the stage for a life-changing experience. Angel Hair, written and directed by Sara Magness, finds two kids bonded by the thrill of pickpocketing. Six-year-old Manny (Basil Magness) and twelve-year-old Rita (Marley McCallum) are no strangers to hardship, both lingering around the countless emporiums that attract folk from all walks of life. It’s a risky game that they have chosen to play with the customers, and before long, their escapades catch up with them.
Angel Hair is a tight, brisk short film that strips itself down to minimal dialogue and beautifully realized imagery. Magness’ implementation of ‘show, don’t tell,’ which many filmmaking minds swear by, is ever present. So instead of the central characters droning on about their lives and challenges, we actually get to see them play out in real time through impressive physical performances. While others might struggle or become outright bored amidst such a bleak backdrop, it’s quite the opposite with Manny and Rita, as the story deliberately focuses on their countless findings of hidden little treasures. Ultimately, it’s their pure connection that Magness is concerning herself with, and that childish whimsy more than comes through in the visual department.
It’s a tricky task placing Angel Hair into any clear-cut genres, as its non-linear editing style and unconventional camera angles make it feel experimental in the best of ways: a gorgeous concoction of traditional and decidedly non-traditional filmmaking techniques. Travis Hanour’s elegant, yet gritty black and white frames, are worth the price of admission alone—from hands digging into a bag of black beans to a metal comb glinting in a woman’s back pocket, the visuals are striking. The song choices are another standout, two compelling tracks that fuse indie-blues and haunting alternative tracks from Paul Spring and The Limiñanas.
Angel Hair is a short film unashamed of marching to the beat of its own drum and uses bold visuals and committed lead performances to tell a surprisingly endearing tale of childhood bonds.
