According to the horseshoe theory, the beliefs of the extreme left and the extreme right actually align, making the two sides closer than they may think. The short comedy film Horseshoe Theory takes that idea and runs with it…to say the least.
With a run time of 12 minutes, the film introduces us to Bobbo (Jackson Rathbone: Twilight series) and Abdul (Amir Malaklou: Secret in Their Eyes). Bobbo is a white supremacist making a gun run for the KKK, while Abdul is a member of the Islamic State who turns out to be his dealer. I would like to avoid any spoilers since the film is just starting to make festival rounds, but the two men definitely have more in common than you would initially think.
Although Malaklou and Rathbone carry the film alone, having just two characters didn’t make the film for lack anything. They are both strong actors and, although their characters are vastly different, they had great chemistry from the moment they appeared on screen. There is so much unexpected humor through everything, from the dialogue to the posters on the wall. I honestly haven’t laughed so hard during a short film.
As the debut film for Jonathan Daniel Brown as a writer, director and producer, and co-writer Travis Harrington’s second film, Horseshoe Theory was superbly written and well-executed. The time that Brown allows us to see what he is capable of is short, but it’s also enough to know that he has some serious talent. The music selection is worth noting as well, as it takes the entire film up a notch.
It’s only January, but I already expect Horseshoe Theory to be one of my favorite short films this year. I sincerely hope we see more from Jonathan Daniel Brown as a director and writer, because this film was pretty damn perfect.
Horseshoe Theory showed at the 2017 Slamdance Film Festival just recently. If you would like to find out more, be sure to visit their Facebook and Twitter pages.