Feeling the weight of debt in a place far away from home, a young man struggles to find a job in the face of the pending lockdown. As he discusses with his family about the possibility or return, the situation becomes all the more dire with inflated prices on flights and e-mails rejecting his application to work. Frightened by his situation, all the troubled man can do is ask his family “is everything okay?” and hope for the best.
“Is Everything Okay?” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
Tackling the financial pressures brought on by the pandemic, “Is Everything Okay?” conveys a broader issue through a single phone conversation. Simple in execution, the short does capture that sense of doom and gloom felt by many in an uncertain time within familiar discourse held with concerned parents/family. Additionally, the son hiding his situation to help keep his parents mind at ease adds to the tragedy of the situation. Ooi Xian Wei Desmond's ability to capture the perilous situation of his subject is the project's most notable and greatest accomplishment.
However, beyond the human connection, the film offers little. We never get a clear show of the man's face or any shots outside of the confined space he is in. The choice to keep the man obscured gives the impression of him being an ‘everyman', embodying the struggles of the many. However, the fact that it works as a plot device does not redeem the stylistic approach taken.
Given the simplistic nature, it is hard to comment or put a value onto the technical aspects. The film at best feels serviceable and at worst uninspired. The cinematography and sound design are handled well, feeling ‘adequate' but ultimately, unimaginitive. Additionally, acting is non-existent due to obscuring the protagonist from view marring any emotional expressions. Ultimately, with Ooi Xian Wei Desmond's sole focus being on narrative the rest of the production fails to make an impression.
“Is Everything Okay?” is a rather middling affair in the short film space being dominated by COVID-related cinema. While painting an empathetic portrait of the subject, the production does not offer much validity past that. However, there may still be appealing to those who enjoy exploring the pandemic through restricted art and looking and supportive narratives that convey global struggles.
