Hi again ghosts and ghouls!

I hope you’re all having a relaxing, lovely holiday season. I’m back with a review of one of my favorite things: a short film! Particularly, GOOD GIRL.

It’s not easy to convey a lot of story, emotion, or anything, really in just ten minutes. GOOD GIRL ticks all of the boxes in under that, if you can imagine. It’s a fast-paced, disturbing short with twists and turns and an ending that made me feel incredibly uneasy.

Charles and Helen are celebrating their tenth anniversary. It’s not just any tenth anniversary though – you can tell by the way that Charles speaks to Helen that this is not any “typical” relationship by any means. It’s strained – Helen waits on baited breath for Charles to speak, and Charles has an air of dominance about him.

That’s what this short has that many don’t: great character development just seconds in. It accomplishes what most shorts don’t, in that you feel connected to the characters in just a few short moments. Helen is clearly scared of Charles, but loves him unconditionally. Sweet.

Unfortunately, that’s where the twist comes in. Not everything is exactly as it seems in the lavish dining room, let alone the entire house. It seems that Helen is allotted her time, and when the clock strikes midnight, everything changes.

The film is uncomfortable to watch – it does what other films are afraid to do…or if they try, convey it in a way that comes off just inappropriate. It shows the relationship between a woman who has fallen for her captor (Stockholm Syndrome) and just how severely he’s taken advantage of her and convinced her that the relationship is something that it’s not. His power is haunting, her worry and timidness is believable and sad.

I truly enjoyed watching this – I felt that I really did get to watch a little work of art, and a glimpse into the world of two people with a sick, unhealthy relationship. I absolutely want to give this another watch to see if I catch anything I missed the first time. It’s brilliantly written and fast-paced.

Give it a watch if you’re looking for something entirely different than what you’re expecting, you’re short on time, and you need something that’s disturbing in just a matter of minutes. GOOD GIRL checks all the boxes on my list.

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Taylor Krauss

Taylor has been a horror fan for as long as she can remember, begging her parents to let her see The Exorcist at the tender age of just five years old. Since then, she has developed a lifelong obsession with all things strange, paranormal, and creepy. If you find her doing something other than watching a horror film, she’s probably raging as a dwarf barbarian playing Dungeons and Dragons (obsessively…it’s a problem), quoting Lord of the Rings incessantly, or trying to become Dana Scully.

Latest posts by Taylor Krauss (see all)

• [Slamdance Review] MAJNUNI - January 26, 2020
• Panic Fest Short Film Review: BROWN FISH (2017) - February 4, 2019
• Short Film Review: GOOD GIRL (2018) - December 26, 2018