Plot (SPOILERS)
The main character seems to be an average Joe who makes a
pastime of smoking a cigarette while looking out his loose sliding apartment
window. During such a time he notices a small bulge on the side of his chest
that he quickly dismisses.
As his day progresses we get a peek at his daily lifestyle-
leaving the sink full of dirty dishes, reading a comic, playing a bit of the xylophone
and, of course, looking out the window. By the end of the day the tumor has
grown the size of a fist. By morning, it is the size of his head.
In a fit of anger and annoyance with the bothersome blob,
the man pulls a knife from the kitchen and is about to take a slash at it when
suddenly- a pair of eyes and mouth appear! The man decides to put the knife away
and they soon begin to bond.
They become (quite
literally) inseparable. They wash dishes, read comics, play the xylophone and look
out the window together. To celebrate the tumor’s first birthday the two blow
bubbles by the window. As the tumor leans under the window the camera follows
the bubbles float up… and that’s when we see the window slide down.
This unfortunate accident leads to the removal and death of
the man’s friend. In the last scene of this short film the man looks out the
window sadly with a fresh scar where is friend used to be. He then looks at a
framed picture of them, draws a pair of eyes above the scar, and smiles.
Let’s Talk About It
Let’s start by talking about the title of this short. “Benigni”
is Finnish for “benign” which means “gentle” or “harmless.” This is a fitting
title because “benign” is typically used to describe tumors and the tumor in
this short had a gentle nature. Although the man was hostile toward it at first
it soon became evident he had nothing to fear… or did he?
The man developed a beautiful friendship with his tumor and
it broke my heart to see that taken away from him in such an unexpected and
tragic manner. I believe losing someone you love is one of the most devastating
experiences one faces in life and I found this depiction to be particularly
tragic for one main reason: he was lonely.
Loneliness is a tragedy in itself and as we get to know the
main character better we see hints that he may also be depressed (most likely
as a result of his loneliness). When he develops that friendship with his tumor
we see a complete change in his attitude and demeanor. Every mundane activity he
used to do alone he now did happily with his friend. To have something so precious
ripped away may have very well left him feeling more alone.
On the other hand, although this left a scar, I believe his
friend did him a lot of good. His friend gave him purpose and something to look
forward to each day. The time they spent together is invaluable and he now has
happy memories to hold onto when he’s feeling alone. Yes, losing his friend may
have been the worst thing that ever happened to him. But having that friend,
for however short the time, may have been the best. If we live our lives afraid
of the bad that might come from the good, we aren’t really living are we?
So, is it better to have loved and lost than never to have
loved at all? I sure think so. But I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
My Critique
It’s worth noting this short film was created by students as
a class exercise. Which is pretty impressive considering how well the story was
executed. The plot, the music, and characters were carefully thought out to make
a touching and heartbreaking short film.
The story is interesting, well-paced and keeps the audience
curious. I have to say, though, my favorite part was in how the climax was
delivered. The camera’s focus, and therefore the audience’s, is on the floating
bubbles outside the window and away from the characters. This was very clever
in delivering a shocking scene.
The music is what best set the tone for me, especially at
the end. This short film had a xylophone music motif. When the man played the
xylophone alone it was off-key. When he and his friend played it together it
was a cheery tune. And after he lost his friend the music was a “well, what can
you do?” kind of tune using the xylophone and piano that helped end the short
on a bittersweet note.
For this particular short, I think the use of stop motion animation
was most valuable in exposing the man as a flawed and rough character. It is
easier to notice that he drinks straight from the milk carton and that he hangs
his pants over the bathroom door. The texture of his body is also unsmooth and lumpy
and that too helps us view him as a rough character.
I think this short film did a great job in showing the
difference companionship makes and the emptiness felt when it’s gone. I enjoyed
this short very much but was left wondering what will happen to the main
character now (which is a great thing for an animation to do). My key
takeaway from this short: Treasure your friendships. Even if they end badly, we
all have something to learn from one another.
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