A new technology has become available to the public; it’s name: Clara. Clara is a bluetooth earpiece, and its job is to help its owner during their day-to-day activities. That might be interacting with others, accomplishing tasks, or something else entirely–but Clara is here to help. Now that Eddie (Gabe Peters) has gotten attached to Clara, his relationship with Sam (Dinithi Fernando) is beginning to suffer. Does he have what it takes to make it on his own, or is he completely dependent on Clara?
Clara is a social commentary on the struggle between humans and technology. The world has become dependent on technology, almost incapable of doing anything without some sort of modern technological accompaniment. We are glued to our phones, we rely on things like DoorDash and UberEats to deliver our food, and many have gotten to the point that their only honest communication with others is from the comfort of their own homes in front of a computer screen. Clara beautifully depicts the things that take place each and every day between technology and human beings, as Writer-Director Ashtin Francis truly understands this content.
While the narrative is slightly fractured, maybe a little wonky at times–Francis seems to have a pretty good handle on how to set up Clara. He creates a linear story that, even when it does jump around a bit, it finds ways to keep things feeling cohesive and appropriately laid out. With that Clara is easy to follow, easy to understand–and as Clara’s message gets stronger and stronger, viewers remain in the know.
There are a slew of positives that exist throughout the course of Clara, but its biggest struggle is creating an emotional connection with viewers–and that nearly drowns the film. Clara struggles to evoke emotion–and I felt so disconnected from the characters and, in turn, the film as a whole. Much of this has to do with the acting of Fernando and Peters, as they just aren’t able to deliver their lines in a way that supports the film. They seem incredibly new to acting. I honestly don’t know if that’s the case with the two young actors, but the reality is that they lack a vigor and an expertise conducive to cinematic success. Clara struggles at every turn in this regard, and nearly all of the film’s failures stem from the acting.
The meaning present in Clara is stunning, so relevant. It never fails to deliver a sense of understanding in regard to its social context and the connection that people have with technology these days. I love the story, and I love what the film is trying to tell viewers throughout its duration–but there are numerous times when emotion fails to rise to the surface, and that creates a disconnect between content and viewer. Even when we are trying to understand what Clara is trying to say, the struggles that exist with the acting make the film as a whole a challenge. Cinematically I believe that Clara is wonderful, but the acting makes every second of the film difficult to appreciate.
Written & Directed by Ashtin Francis.
Starring Gabe Peters, Dinithi Fernando, Jack Tilton, Brooke Page, Midori Zimmerman, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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