Gotta "Love, Jack"

Usually student films come with a little bit of a learning curve. They are not as well shot, not as well acted, not as elaborate as films we see in theaters these days. “Love, Jack” defies all preconceived notions though and does not fail to exceed expectations. Director Taylor Horky led a very capable team through a year’s worth of production and the final product proved to be aesthetically pleasing, emotionally engaging, and extravagant in comparison to what most student films are able to do.

The "Love, Jack" poster from the their Facebook page picturing Aaron Shand.

“Love, Jack” explored the story of Jack who was going through a hard time in his life when we got behind the wheel under the influence. He landed himself in the hospital next to an older man named Frank, an lively old guy who had a passion for life and an excitement for all that he had gone through. Frank always looked out of his window and described how glorious the park across the street was to Jack, whetting Jack’s appetite for life again. After Frank was gone, Jack went to look outside of the window for himself and found nothing but a brick wall. Apparently the park was across the street, past the brick building. The movie closes with a shot of a note that Jack left for Frank saying, “Beginning to see beyond the brick. Love, Jack.” Horky wrote the script with the inspiration of the brothers of Horky and editor Riley Robertson who both passed away. Horky’s coping method culminated into the beautiful work of art that is “Love, Jack.”
        Visually, the film was vivid and clear. Each shot was exquisite and was conducted with preciseness thanks to director of photography, Isaac Svensson. Frame after frame was breath takingly gorgeous with its white hues for the hospital, hazy overtures for flash backs, and darker hues for times of deep sadness. It set the mood for the story and was easy on the eyes to watch. They were able to limit the dialogue in the movie because they told the story more through visuals, like showing Jack getting drunk and crashing his car. The moral of the story was a little bit unclear through most of the movie, but they solved it with just one shot of Jack’s note. The crew’s skills with a camera did not go unnoticed in this film and were definitely the highlight.

Bornstein and his favorite window, provided by their Facebook page.

Another key element to this film was the acting. Aaron Shand was the perfect jaded young adult to play Jack. Quiet and introspective, Shand played off every emotion clearly to the audience whether it be anger or excitement or longing. He was supported by Jerry Bornstein (Frank) who really lightened the movie with his jovial spirit. A lot of awkward moments in the movie between the characters could have made the audience feel uncomfortable, but Bornstein exhibited a likable character that brought hope and joy to a dark and downtrodden situation. That was impeccable casting because Bornstein is just the right mix of Santa Claus and the grandpa you have always wanted to create the foil to Jack. The two of them together provided great chemistry and heart hopping moments. They really help you to grasp the emotion behind the story and understand everything they are feeling.
All this was wrapped in a pretty little package of extravagance. No one could have imagined that a student film coming out of Biola could include the use of real 1950s fire engines and cop cars, let alone a car crash! This was a never before seen surprise from Biola film that shocked the audience with delight. It made the film all the more real, all the more captivating, and all the more like a real film that could be seen in theaters today.

“Love, Jack” was an enjoyable short film created by Biola students over the course of the past year. It was impressive in both camera work and acting as wells as surprisingly high tech for its magnitude. Horky and the rest of the cast and crew are hoping to submit the film to various film festivals, so the short film will be available to be seen at festivals and DVDs to come.