A Stranger's Final Moments...

Stranger (2013)
Starring: Gabriel Burrafato, Nathalie Ben-Kely, Rusty Meyers, and Billy Gilbride
Director: Brandon Christensen
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Stranger (Burrafato), a lonely hitman who is now a target for death himself, is resigned to spending his final moments, admiring Iris (Ben-Kely), the woman he secretly loves from afar. But then things take a turn....

"Stranger" is a short film from 2013 that set out to capture the look and mood of the film noir genre of the late 1940s and early 1950s. It is largely successful--especially during the shots of Gabriel Burrafato sitting at the bar while his character internally monologs. 

In addition to some great cinematography, this little film features a story and characters that's portrayed effectively enough that not only will you be able to imagine what has gone before and what will follow the events shown on screen, but you may find yourself wishing there was more time with Stranger, Iris, and whoever Stranger has crossed than just these few minutes.

As enjoyable and well-done as I found this film to be, there were a couple things about it that bothered me--admittedly small things but one still bugged me enough to rise above the level of a nitpick.

There needed to be a difference in sound quality between Stranger's narration and the conversation he has with Iris. Stranger's internal monolog happens against an audio backdrop of total silence, which makes sense since it's in his head, but the same is true of the exchanges he has with Iris. The parts where Stranger isn't narrating would have benefitted tremendously from a little ambient sounds drifting in from nearby tables or other patrons at the bar.

Despite that highly technical complaint, I think "Stranger" is an excellent short film, and I think you'll find the four minutes it will take you to watch it well worth your time. It may even brighten your day... because who doesn't like a love story (even one between a hitman and a hostess... perhaps *especially* one between a hitman and a hostess)? 

Hey, I think you'll like it so much that I've embedded it below, via YouTube, so you can watch it right now!