2023 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Mel (Camille Wormser) wakes up from a strange dream in which she is dressed like a duck running down the middle of the street. Mel suffers from severe OCD, so much so that she often fails to leave the house or participate in events with anyone other than her roommates. This dream, however, has compelled her to go out and try something new. She knows that her OCD will make this difficult, and everything will have to go Just Right in order to meet up with her friends by 1pm.
Just Right begins in Mel’s dreams as she literally sprints down the street in a duck onesie and begins quacking aggressively at the camera. In this moment I thought “what the fuck am I watching?” As the film progressed, I continued to think the same thing–as it simply plateaued in the opening seconds and never relents throughout the rest of the film. Mel is one of the strangest characters that I’ve ever seen on screen, constantly repeating herself, making strange facial expressions, and following a seemingly random and specific path as she navigates life. She’s frustrating, infuriating me right down to my core until the final seconds of Just Right. And this is a testament to how wonderful Wormser is as a writer, director, and actor.
As I constantly questioned the ridiculousness of the things I saw happen before me, it was constantly reinforced what a spectacular job Wormser does throughout the course of Just Right. She plays a role in so many different aspects of the film, both in front of and behind the camera. It’s obvious that without her Just Right never comes to be, and if she had taken on a smaller role, I’m not sure that the film is as entertaining as it is.
I talked again and again about how frustrating it was watching Mel struggle and do some truly ridiculous things–and that’s not because I hate the character (or anything else about the film for that matter), but rather it’s frustrating how accurate Just Right is. I certainly don’t suffer from OCD in the same capacity as Mel, and I’m sure that I’ll never fully understand just how time consuming and difficult that struggle is. However, I understand, to a degree, what Mel is dealing with. There are instances when I have to tap a certain amount of times, or things have to be in a specific order–and the way in which Mel is written and portrayed is eerily similar to those things that I experience. I both hate the character (because it so perfectly represents a part of me that I struggle with) and love her, because it’s clear that Wormser really knows what she’s talking about.
Wormser draws a very fine line between comedy and drama throughout the course of Just Right. I think that viewers are able to understand how severe Mel’s OCD is, but at the same time, there is a level of comedy present that allows for some levity and further accessibility. From the opening moments the comedy is clear, but the drama has to develop at a pace that never overshadows said comedy and yet still makes its way to the forefront of Just Right. Once again, Wormser delivers brilliantly.
Now, it would be unfair to everyone else who took part in developing Just Right to say that Wormser is the sole reason why the film is successful. The reality is that’s just simply not the case. However, I think it would be equally unfair to Wormser not to express how pivotal of a role she plays in the creation, development, and success of Just Right. The more I think about the film, the more I fall in love with it–and nearly every bit of the film that appeals to my soul stems from something that Wormser has created. Just Right is brilliant, groundbreaking, honest, and the springboard that will allow Wormser to find success in the future.
Written & Directed by Camille Wormser.
Starring Camille Wormser, Jake Dvorsky, Sydney Heller, Adam Turrey, Lukas Ferreira, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
Comments