All of Them is a web series from Guerilla59, a London-based film collective. Each of the series’ seven episodes focuses on a different character searching for love in London. The episode we were asked to review is Elias.
Elias is a cocky 20-something dude who thinks he has the best of both worlds, skateboarding with his main squeeze and a friend-with-benefits to swing by after. But when bubbles begin to burst, his worldview shifts. Maybe being outwardly a douche and inwardly a pushover isn’t the way to get a girl who wants to stick around. Unfortunate as he does seem genuinely nice, any guy who’s not furious at getting kneed in the nuts is definitely a keeper.
There are some interesting choices when it comes to lighting. Though it is largely convincingly natural, many shots are backlit by overwhelmingly bright sources. I understand the limitations of small budgets and working within the space available but feel it somewhat ill-advised, unless there was some artistic intent of which I’m unaware.
Some moments come across as a bit too cliche. A black dude smoking a joint while listening to rap is inherently caricaturistic. This caused a bit of a disconnect for me as I tend to be drawn to unexpected reality, who someone really is when no one is watching and they can be themselves. I wanted a glimpse at who Elias was behind the mask and never got there.
Overall, the dialogue is awkwardly realistic while still informative enough to give one a good impression of the relationship dynamics at play.
This episode accomplishes, in its short five minutes, what many more substantial shorts fail to do. It provides a fulfilling voyeuristic glance into a day in the life of a British guy looking for love. While I don’t feel that I needed more, I would have welcomed it as there does appear to be more depth to these characters than is being presented here.
If you’d like to view this episode or any of the others, the entire first series is available now on G59 TV’s Vimeo.
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