WASHLAND EXPRESS BFAE28006

Washland Express is a short comedy and romance film of about 8 minutes long written, produced and directed by Camille Campbell. The film talks about a female doctor who was broken hearted because her boyfriend was marrying another woman on that day and a fraudster who pretended to be a worker fell in love in a car at a car washing bay. The film featured two actors known as Jennifer Allcott as Carl and Josh Helman as James. I was surprised that in the midst of romance, James was able to carry on his main goal by robbing Carl. And what really amazed me is them being together as lovers at the end. With this, the team of the movie for me is “Love is a beautiful thing”.

      The characters were well developed and believable. They also delivered strong performances. Especially the partfrom romance to anger, where James decided to rob Carl and all of a sudden, the two characters showed expression of anger and seriousness. Their conversation in that soft, echoing space felt natural, as if I was listening to my own friends finding comfort in each other.

      The tight opening shot of the car’s windscreen with Jennifer in the frame gave a detailed expression on how sad, frustrated and hungry she was. Bright colors flood the frame.At first pink foam, green neon, and yellow lights. Then they fade to deep blues and purples, telling me without words that something serious is about to happen. Every shot is carefully framed so I felt like I am right there inside the wash, sharing their moment.

       The sounds carried me through every emotion. I could almost taste the soapy mist when the water sprays, and the playful tune in the beginning made me smiled imaging how the film is going to be. When the story turned tense, the music slowed, and every drumbeat sounded like a heartbeat. The dialogue stayed clear above the splashes, so I was able to hear every word they said, and the mix of bubbly sound effects with soft, suspenseful notes stayed with me long after the end of the movie.

      By the end of the eight minutes, “Washland Express” exceeded all my expectations. It made my moment fun and friendly in the beginning, surprising and mysterious at the end. I found myself smiling and then gripping my seat, wishing I could press pause just to laugh. Though short, it leaves a big message “kindness and connection can bloom anywhere even at the washing bay and we should always be ready for the unexpected”. I’d tell anyone who loves colorful visuals, strong characters, and a twisty story to give it a watch.