Carly (Maddy Murphy) is a young, attractive woman, but she struggles to see herself that way. Miss Freelance sees Carly galavanting throughout New York City, finding men to show her attention and pay her for her time. She will soon find out, however, that the satisfaction she thought would come from spending time with these men will elude her, and she struggles with this sentiment.
“There is only sex. Everything is sex. Do you understand that what I'm telling you is a universal truth?” This quote comes by way of James Spader from his time on The Office. This couldn’t be more true of Matthew Kyle Levine’s Miss Freelance. Throughout the course of this twenty-minute short Carly visits with four men, Ben (Timothy J. Cox), Randy (Zach Abraham), Greg (Keith Boratko), and Maurice (Ivan Greene). Each visit leads Carly down a different road of self-understanding, but some deliver pain and suffering that she had never anticipated--but they all stem from sex. Her journey, however, presents the world with a lesson that they should have learned already, but the reality is that this message has evaded many individuals for some time. That lesson is that you should love yourself, and it’s one that each and every viewer should take to heart. Levine’s purpose is clear in each and every scene, and this often comes as a result of cinematography of Levine and Alex Scarlatos.
The two individuals in charge of bringing this picture to life do a spectacular job. Murphy exudes emotion beautifully, but Levine and Scarlatos are what allow her to find success as they capture that emotion in an appropriate fashion. A series of close ups allow her abilities to shine and Miss Freelance to find success. In each of the close ups, viewers are shown a series of angles that shine light on the admiration, anger, and depression that lives within Carly, and the story of this lost young woman becomes more and more powerful the more we get to see of her.
The acting throughout Miss Freelance is commendable and effective. While I wasn’t blown out of the water by any of the performances, Murphy, Cox, and the others are able to convey emotion in a fashion that allows viewers to understand not only the story, but what their characters are feeling. What is incredibly impressive, however, is the chemistry that exists between Murphy and the others. Their connection feels genuine, and I believed the scenarios in which they are a part. I found this aspect of their performances to be enthralling and entertaining, gripping me and pulling me into their story.
The cinematography, the story, the acting, etc. are entertaining for sure, but it’s the message present in Levine’s Miss Freelance that is the shining star of the production. Overall, Miss Freelance is an interesting, and wise film that lends itself not only to entertainment but education as well. As viewers enjoy what the cast and crew of Miss Freelance have to offer, they learn something about themselves and the world around them, and that is beautiful.
Written & Directed by Matthew Kyle Levine.
Starring Maddy Murphy, Timothy J. Cox, Zach Abraham, Keith Boratko, and Ivan Greene.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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