In a modern world where one can FaceTime loved ones from across the globe, Matt Morris’ “Partitioned_Heart” has the impact of a virtual bond and a funeral goodbye in the same 9 minute package. Like the 2016 movie “Her,” the film is carried solely by one live actor and one vocal one, yet imbues elements of sorrow, reminiscence, and grief into a film that is both thoughtful and real. Goodbyes are hard; “Partitioned_Heart” makes the case that this is no different through virtual medium than in life. The film has the savviness of a tech picture and the reverence of a grave visit – a nice achievement for a short film with but two actors.
“Partitioned_Heart” leaves us in the dark on its plot, but the film is the better for it. There’s a father, played by a Carlo Rota doppelgänger named Travis Mitchell, and a son, Daniel, played by Malik Uhuru. Daniel died – or so we glean, and is trapped in a computer program and able to communicate with his father through voice only. Daniel’s been trapped in the computer program for days, is still in considerable pain, and has a request for his father – to delete him permanently from the terminal. The film deals with the emotions of both father and son as the former attempts to come to grips with his son’s passing and honor his wishes.
“Partitioned_Heart” is filmed crisply, and, while short, takes us on a view of emotional struggles and remembrances. We see a picture of father Rob with his son Daniel on a nightstand, and a quick telephone conversation between Rob and someone we assume is his wife. Daniel wants to know if his father has talked to his mother ‘about him’ – and while we assume she knows of his passing, we’re unsure if she knows of his current predicament within the computer terminal. We’re not to know; “Partitioned_Heart” is about a bond between father and son, and the film accomplishes this with remarkable grace.
The gem of “Partitioned_Heart” is the acting of Mitchell, who manages to impart – with little but facial acting and speech – the emotions of a grieving father we quickly identify with. The film, written by Morris, gives him an edge and a heartbeat, touching on his emotions and inability to let his son go, while also adding an additional layer when his son, more tech savvy than he, must walk him through how to ‘delete’ the program and terminate his existence. You get the impression that Rob didn’t put Daniel into the program, but yet he can’t let him go. But what father could? “I can’t let you die!” Rob entreats. “I am dead,” Daniel responds, with both anger and pain. “I’m just talking to you. That’s the only thing I can do anymore.”
The film’s cinematography is done by Brian Seo, and for a film with such wide emotions, is photographed simply, focusing on angled shots of three computer monitors and close-ups of Rob’s face as he goes through the impossible emotions he must face. Daniel’s identity is handled well too – he’s encapsulated in what looks to be a stationary sphere that resembles a cross between common computer screensavers and early DOS programs. A blinking dot next to this sphere indicates he is ‘alive.’
The film has a simple score – droning synthesizers and low harmonious vocals that add to the sadness and introspection of the picture in effective ways. The score is used to highlight Rob’s indecision and pain, especially during scenes where confronts honoring his son’s wishes, and, later, when he processes grief he hasn’t yet allowed himself to feel. “Partitioned_Heart” is smart; it has the illusory philosophy of communication through modern technology coupled with the moral dilemma of taking a loved one off life support when all quality of life has vanished. It has power; my only criticism lies in the film’s length. Both Mitchell and Uhurua are solid actors and it may have done the film a deeper service to show a more of the relationship between father and son, either through narration or flashbacks.
But “Partitioned_Heart” is a good film. It flows easily, is filmed well, and features nice performances. It’s a film that’s easy to digest, and deals with real emotions while packaging them in a unique way we’ve not seen before. Morris has produced a good project here, and I’d be eager to see more from him in the future.
– by Mark Ziobro
