Review: ‘Fck’n Nuts’ Takes Viewers On A Surreal Trip To Meet The Parents
Sam Fox’s short film Fck’n Nuts is a delightfully weird and funny tale as old as time. That fear of bringing home a romantic partner to meet your parents where your mind races with everything that could go wrong, inventing the most ridiculous scenarios because you’re anxious. What if your parents don’t like them or what if they push your partner away. Everything could come crashing down because your parents are weird. But what if those scenarios aren’t so far fetched? What if everything that might go wrong, does go wrong?
The short follows Sandy (Maddie Nichols, The Boogeyman) as a woman struggling as she tries to break up with her boyfriend Dan (Vincent Stalba, The Blood of the Dinosaurs). Dan shows up unannounced to Sandy’s home to profess his love to her despite her repeated statements to never come to her house because her parents are “fucking nuts.” Regardless, Dan wants nothing more than to prove his love to Sandy and be a part of all parts of her life — besides, he says that her parents will love him because he is sophisticated and knows wine. Sandy is forced to make a decision to either keep pushing him away, or to give in and take that next step in their relationship: meeting her parents.
There is a surreal vibe throughout the short from the set design, the lighting, and the practical effects. The lighting is a real standout, doing a great job of creating stark contrast between the bright pink, purple, and green hues and the shadows that fill the house. The almost neon lights feel right at home when the synth kicks in. The house itself is made to look like something is off and not quite right, feeling almost like an extension of Sandy’s anxiety. And while they aren’t featured extensively, the parents make the most of the screen time reminding Sandy that family comes first. The humor ranges from dry to darkly funny, and both Dan and Sandy have moments that had me laughing quite hard. If you’re a fan of the short films The Blood of the Dinosaurs (directed by Joe Badon, who also serves as a creative producer for Fck’n Nuts) or Guts (directed by Chris McInroy) then you’re likely to enjoy the comedy here.
Overall, Fck’n Nuts is a great short and as my introduction to Sam Fox’s work, I am excited to see what she makes next. It makes the most of its nine minute runtime and I would gladly watch an extended version of this idea because it was just that funny to me; it’s the perfect blend of weird and darkly humorous. If this sounds like something that you’d enjoy there’s a few upcoming festivals to catch it at including L’Entrange (September 5th-17th), Sydney Underground (September 14th), The Future of Film is Female (September 20th), Fantastic Fest (September 21st-28th), Charlotte Film Festival (September 27th – October 1st), and New Orleans Film Festival (November 3rd-8th). You can check out the trailer below!
