What does separation mean for a child? The loss of a parent through divorce, as well as the disconnect felt in the aftermath, can be an overwhelming experience. When a new romantic partner enters their guardian’s life, uncertainty escalates even further. Following two boys on their journey to conquer all that unease, Love in the Time of Caller ID tackles the coming-of-age formula with a pleasant lo-fi soundtrack and a unique vision from director Neil Sandhoefner.
Two brothers (voiced by Luke and Peter Engel) are left home alone in front of their television while their mother (Amber Rinehart) goes out to meet her new boyfriend, Chuck. Even with their favorite sci-fi program on TV, the boys aren’t thrilled about the situation. Missing their mother, they leave her messages on a little answering machine but get no response. Their evening show alerts them to parallels between what they see and the situation they are in, causing them to be upset and worried.
Like pages taken straight from a children’s coloring book, the short’s presentation certainly invites intrigue and whimsy. Simple line illustrations, text bubbles, and doodles pepper the screen at all times. It’s an art style that’s very easy to follow, even if motion is lacking. This creative choice presents both advantages and disadvantages. With very few spoken words and static pictures, it can sometimes feel like the short is dragging its feet because of how fixed everything looks. Image after image, the slideshow’s charm simply fizzles out over time. However, while these stationary arrangements invite these pacing issues, they fall by the wayside when you begin to ponder the plot.
Where Love in the Time of Caller ID stumbles is in the story department. On one hand, it’s an inventive way of examining how children react to separation and emotional distress. On the other hand, it paints a rather contradictory picture of parenting. Leaving young children home to go on a date is questionable enough, but enticing them with an old answering machine is even more of a head-scratcher. We are never given concrete details about the maturity level of the boys, but speculation only makes this matter more pressing. The odd comparisons between the real world and the science-fiction space crew of XB-7, misguided as it all may be, are certainly affecting and bolstering the film’s endearing quality.
Stagnant but poignant at times, Love in the Time of Caller ID is a sweet-natured little short that examines parental love.