Stress Position – 2013
It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen a film that actually has you questioning the validity of what you are witnessing. Stress Position actually pulled this off.
Written and directed by A.J. Bond, who also stars in it, the film begins in a basic student-film styled setting that quickly turns into something unexpected and continues down the path of the unknown. I must say, this reminds me of something Jean-Luc Godard and Stanley Kubrick may have come up with during their own discussions of human-reality and psychological theory. It also reminded me of Pasolini’s Salo or: The 120 Days of Sodom, which, for better or worse, is one of my favorite films of all time. The reason for this is simple, I enjoy films that get down to the purest essence of human relations and the way we see one another. Stress Position may not have the same visual examinations, yet it certainly makes the viewer as intrigued, uncomfortable and, at times, confused as to just how real what you’re seeing is. I would like to think this was intentional. Back to the point of the visual side, I am again reminded of Godard, Kubrick, and even a bit of Hitchcock. The primarily single location (which is vintage Hitch), mixed with the strange angles, use of lighting and dialogue that addresses the audience as well as the characters made for one strange trip. Think Rope, meets Alphaville, meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. But enough comparisons, as I wouldn’t want anyone to think that this film lacks originality, as it was a unique experience that I found quite enjoyable and one deserving its own acknowledgement.
The film begins with a conversation between A.J. and his friend Dave (David Amito) that reminded me of countless “news” programs where two humans are debating a point, each in their own screen and is very much like the infinity of conversations that surely have taken place between friends of all cultures and times. Everything feels normal and genuine, even the arrogance they both carry. The opposite points of view end up leading to a bet between them and this takes us into the strange, although too damn common, world of “I can outdo you.” Personally, I have long attempted to avoid such attitudes, since I recognize that no two people are alike, no matter how much they may have in common. When two people claim to have respect for one another, yet are all too eager to prove their superiority, the results are almost always negative.
NOT my idea of a good time…
The peers I’ve had in my life that carry this attitude are who I tend to eliminate from my reality, as I have no interest in such situations. There is, after all, a very fine line, yet an equally large gap between pride and arrogance. The film also takes us into the rawest questions of compassion for one another. If someone begins to treat you horribly, do you, in turn, treat them even worse, or do you counter their psychology in the absolute opposite way? You know; that whole ‘flies with honey Vs vinegar’ mentality. I wouldn’t want a swarm of flies at my picnic, regardless of my choice of condiments, which is why I avoid such situations. However, these two humans are game to test one another and let’s be thankful for this, otherwise, we wouldn’t have a film!
As a loyalist to the Avant-Garde, Stress Position was absolutely enjoyable and had me becoming so involved with what was happening on the screen that I couldn’t help but talk back to the film a couple of times. They were moments of genuine reaction that could not be helped. We all know this is the mark of excellent filmmaking – getting pure reactions from the audience. No matter how many times I have seen John Carpenter’s Halloween, I still occasionally call out to Laurie when she starts across the street to the Wallace house to see what is going on with her friends. “No Laurie, don’t go into that house!” I am just as driven to call out for our characters in Stress Position to not give in to what is happening to them. However, the questions that rise into the brain are quite extreme with this film. How would one react to the same situation? I would never make the declarations that A.J. and Dave make to one another, as I have no idea how I would react to their shared points of view, which were, essentially, “Eh, those people were weak.” and “Anything you can do, I can do better.” I definitely would not want to be anyone’s prisoner, nor would I have the arrogant attitude of, “Yeah, I can take it, give it your best shot, buddy!” No one genuinely knows their breaking point until it is presented to the mind.
A very “stressful” position, indeed…
This is pure fact. The last time I actually did give in to such challenges, I was a teenager and it was over pouring salt in the hand then gripping an ice-cube. To be fair, it was more a matter of testing myself, yet I would be lying if I said that was the only purpose. I absolutely took the challenge to outdo my friend’s perspective, as well. You would be correct in assuming that I lost that bet. Self-inflicted chemical burns are pretty stupid, especially when it stems from the ego.
One must be comfortable in their own skin to watch this film and I believe it to be worthy of the attention it has received. This has actually been nominated for various awards and even won a couple. Stress Position is an interesting film and I would love to see just how deep Bond’s art can go in the future!
Nathan Surface
Latest posts by Nathan Surface (see all)
- THEM (2014): Short Film Review - August 21, 2014
- STRESS POSITION (2013): Review…The Inhumanity Of Human Nature - August 21, 2014
- AX (2014): Short Film Review…Questions Of The Mind - August 20, 2014
