By GABE THOMAS
Starring Heather Burns, Charlie Besso and Nate Duncan
Written and directed by Jonathan DiMaio
Vanishing Pictures
Jonathan DiMaio’s satirical horror short PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX, which recently premiered at Dances With Films, opens with the dissonant dichotomy of Beth (Heather Burns) chopping vegetables to the discordant sounds of her son (Charlie Besso) struggling to play the piano. This clash between practical work and artistry is the driving force behind a profoundly subversive film. After learning her son has a better chance at the SATs if he has a disability, Beth is willing to do anything to improve his test scores. What follows is a riveting 15 minutes of class commentary, academic pressure and parental pressure.
The freshness of the short’s dark humor keeps the story engaging from start to finish. DiMaio dissects how the elite takes advantage of people who are actually underprivileged, showcasing their hypocrisy in a way that’s rarely depicted. Every scene of strung-out rich parents blinded by entitlement is fueled by a deservedly cartoony energy that communicates their inhumanity. There is no genuine love for their children or concern about inferior education behind these cold, dead eyes. Their only motivation is the paralyzing fear of their kids being judged for not wearing a letterman jacket.
Moments commenting on affirmative action feature Beth panicking that admissions boards hate rich white kids, casting a beautiful light on how nobody with $1 million can understand oppression. When she imagines her son’s future, she worries he’ll end up a protester, or worse, a community college student. The lack of self-awareness allows the film’s creative team to play terrifically alongside a delightfully deranged performance from Burns. She’s well-complemented by Besso, whose turn as Teddy makes you want to reach into the screen and protect him from his sadistic mother.
The horror edge emerges with Beth’s scheming when she realizes what harming her son could mean for his testing. The chase sequence and gore the movie ends on add a genre tinge to the more grounded plot, elevating it into something truly special. From its smooth cinematography to its poignant punchline, there’s nothing toothless about PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX. Fans of smart writing and strong payoffs, this one is for you.
See PRINCETON’S IN THE MIX as an official selection at the Indy Shorts International Film Festival in Indianapolis on Friday, July 25.
