That Heart Shaped Box of chocolates can change someone’s day. It can make them smile, it can let them know that they are appreciated, or that they are an important part of your life. Chris (Timothy J. Cox) wants to impress Valerie (Nancy Nagrant), so he, like so many before him, brings her a box of chocolates in the shape of a heart. All seems to be going well, but just like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get on this date.
No dialogue, not a single word. Nothing from the mouths of either Chris or Valerie throughout the entirety of the short film. Rather, viewers are guided by the acting and the score. Both are powerful in conveying emotion, presenting the narrative to viewers, and ultimately providing them a reason to stick around. Heart Shaped Box is funny, but it’s also a play on the inconveniences that often plague us in our day to day. Don’t ask me why, but I never expected special effects and animation to play a role in Heart Shaped Box, but much like those aforementioned aspects of the film, the latter, too, plays a role in how viewers receive this film. While in the grand scheme of the film the animation plays a smaller role–it’s essential to the plot, and without some level of expertise in this department, the film fails. I won’t give anything away in regard to what is depicted using these tactics, but understand that they work effectively in helping to tell this story.
Cox presents viewers with a relatable, but silly performance. Much of the role requires him to sit and laugh with, kiss, and exchange loving looks with Nagrant–and he does this wonderfully. That silly aspect really comes into play in the final seconds of Heart Shaped Box, and he delivers a couple of hilarious looks in the direction of the camera–playing such a pivotal role in the film. As the film climaxes, Cox puts on a couple of silly faces, and he helps to wrap up this short film with ironic poise. It’s the subtleties and the nuances of both Nagrant and Cox’s performances that allow the film to come to life, and they deliver.
Initially, as music played throughout the course of Heart Shaped Box, I believed that would create a sort of separation between the content on screen and the viewer, however, that was not the case. It worked in the opposite fashion, and it forces viewers to dig deeper, trying to figure out what is happening in the conversation between Valerie and Chris. Viewers have no choice but to look deeper at the conversations, to really focus on the interactions between the two, and to see the other things happening throughout the course of Heart Shaped Box. This allowed viewers to see and appreciate the intricacies of the film, absorbing each and every piece of information throughout.
Heart Shaped Box is incredibly simple, with very little in terms of things to decipher. For the most part the film is straightforward and easy to access, but I believe the most important part of the entire film is its ability to relate to the idea that curveballs are constantly being thrown our way. We all know that it can be difficult to settle in, because oftentimes adversity lurks just around the corner. Heart Shaped Box has a comical way of presenting this to viewers, and the message is received. Through the acting of Cox and Nagrant, the blanketing score, and the absence of dialogue, viewers are able to interpret this message rather easily. Writer-Director Joseph Ibrahim achieves his goal throughout the film; and in such a short amount of time that’s a tall task.
Written & Directed by Joseph Ibrahim.
Starring Timothy J. Cox & Nancy Nagrant.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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