Review: We Die Alone

Director: Marc Cartwright

Screenplay: Marc Cartwright and Cassie Keet

Year: 2020

Aidan is a shy young man lacking social skills and who wants to experience love, but can’t avoid ghosting his dates because of his insecurity that things will not go well. His story seems about to change when a young woman moves to the apartment in from of his, with whom he shares a lot in common. Aidan’s obsession with his neighbor throws him into an emotional rollercoaster that will change the lives of both.

“We Die Alone”, as the title suggests, is a story focused on the nature of love, which is often not all that rosy. In this story, we follow Aidan, a young man whose insecurities prevent him from finding love, even when he has it in front of his workmate Elaine (Ashley Jones; “Old School”) who wishes to be acknowledged Aiden. The interpretation of Baker Chase Powell (“Dolemite Is My Name”) quickly lets us see the Aiden’s sociopath personality, who has some similarities to Christian Bale in “American Psycho”, and that assures us that the encounter with his neighbor Chelsea (Samantha Boscarino) will not end well.

The script from screenwriters Marc Cartwright and Cassie Keet, for most of the 24 minutes of runtime, develop the story in one direction, and when you least expect it, change direction. The acting fro the three protagonists plays an essential role in that the twist is unexpected, effectively leading the viewer to expect something different from what ends up happening. This twist is definitive in consolidating the great work done in this short film and the message it wants to send.

“We Die Alone” is a short film that addresses the topic of love, emphasizing the hardships of relationships. The character development and the acting make the plot interesting for its slow intensity build-up and the feeling that something will go wrong. This profound exploration of love and the truths that hide behind appearances effectively keeps the viewer in the edge of its seat to take it by surprise with its explosive ending.

“We Die Alone” will be available on August 21, 2020, on Amazon Prime.