At multiple points during Marion’s Lilies, you, the viewer, almost feel prompted to ask: what if it were me, and what would I do in such a disturbing situation? Director Marcello Mantero’s harrowing short film tells a tale of vigilantism taken to a savagely personal level. The opening sequence sets the table perfectly. Marion’s (Melissa Kate Steven) life is ruthlessly snuffed out by a mysterious serial killer dubbed The Owl by local law enforcement. We catch up with the woman’s husband David (Neil Bishop) at her funeral, where it becomes clear that the poor man has lost all sense of direction in his life. He’s bundled up all his emotions, unable to open up to people like his mother (Pip Boulter) about what truly gnaws at his soul. With police unable to make any meaningful progress, David takes it upon himself to prowl the streets at night, searching for clues and signs that could point him to The Owl. Only for the widower, his idea of justice is a far more brutish one that has payback written all over it.
Marion’s Lilies is a tight film steeped in darkness in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Its investigative realism might leave some room for improvement, but Mantero keeps his story moving at a pace that is designed to overwhelm his central character and immerse his audience in the descent. Max Slater’s stellar work behind the camera recalls some of the best-looking noir thrillers of the past decade, using extreme contrast with inspired bursts of color to break up the heavy blacks. Atmospherically, the short is a knockout and really picks up the slack where the detective work and writing may occasionally falter.
Bishop’s performance suitably matches the tone of the film, going from grieving and somewhat sane, to near-completely manic in his seemingly never-ending search to find answers. Mantero makes some fantastic choices creatively, from tracking shots that follow a crazed David down deserted streets to him silhouetted by his desk light and makeshift evidence board. Obsession is the key, and that is one thematic strand that the film latches onto and explores very, very well.
Marion’s Lilies is an engrossing crime drama that is as much about catching a killer as it is about the devastating sacrifices one man makes in his pursuit—sacrifices that slowly chips away at him for all to see.
