Starring: Michael Peake and Graydon Stroud
Directed by: E. Charlton-Trujillo (co-director) and Josh Flowers (co-director)
Written by: Michael Peake
Running time: 9 minutes
Rated: None
What’s in a title? Well, for the short thriller A Handful of Pennies, actually quite a bit. The title alludes to a rather one-sided exchange between two men, one of which seems to be in a tough situation. Pennies in the film have a couple of different meanings, one of which has a far more sinister result.
A Handful of Pennies is a short film about a disturbed man who simply wants some answers. Lyle and Arnold are having a discussion. Lyle has a question, Arnold has an answer.
Written by Michael Peake, who also stars as Lyle in the film. The short is a no budget affair which is very well made and acted. It’s a simple piece, shot in one room, with two actors, which actually works in its favor by never over burdening the viewer with extraneous shots or characters.
The acting here is great as Peake’s character is looking for answers and not afraid to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Peake is wonderful as a sadistic yet overtly pleasant madman. His nice guy banter is chilling at times. Graydon Stroud also turns in a great performance as the object of Lyle’s aggression.
For an independent short with little to no budget, the film is shot and directed very well. The set ups and angles are top notch, the lighting does not oversaturate, the film looks like it was shot for a much higher budget, very well done. I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail in the film, if you look closely at Lyle’s knuckles, they’re all bruised and bloodied from torturing Arnold. That kind of detail is almost always left out in most films.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Handful of Pennies, it’s a great thriller with a dark edge to it. I guess you could call it “diet” torture porn with all the thrills, just less blood. By the way, you may never look at a roll of pennies in the same way again. Check it out, definitely recommended.
3 out of 5 Pentagrams!
Watch the film here,
