Home Education short filmDirected by Andrea NiadaStarring Kate Reed, Jemma Churchill, & Richard GinnShort Film Review by Chris Olson 

A tense and thought-provoking drama/psychological thriller, Andrea Naida’s short film Home Education is a compelling piece about a daughter Rachel (Kate Reed) living with the death of her father (Richard Ginn). What is unusual about her situation is that her mother (Jemma Churchill) is convinced that as long as the pair of them continue to love and impress their father, whose body lies rotting on an upstairs bed, he will most likely come back to life. Rachel’s mother enforces a strict curriculum of important lessons for her daughter which will ensure she does not disappoint her dearly departed dad.

Disturbing and absurdist, without ever feeling farcical, Home Education is an absolutely enthralling short film. There is heightened tension throughout, two powerhouse performances, and a nightmarish atmosphere created through stark visuals and an eerie score, that are perfectly delivered by Naida. By focusing the story on a mother-daughter relationship, the emotional core is built very quickly,

which is essential in allowing the tone of the movie to develop without hindrance into something more challenging for the viewer. We instantly connect with Rachel in particular, whose naivete and innocence, which gets manipulated by her mother, makes her completely endearing. The film then takes on some dark overtones as the mother’s increasingly disturbing behaviour becomes threatening, and Rachel faces a coming-of-age like no other girl has to experience.

The idea for the story is fantastic, and works really well as a short film. Its plot is strong enough to be entertaining for audiences by itself, but add in the thematically troubling elements which the story represents and you have something particularly special on your hands. For example [SPOILER ALERT], Rachel comes into her own strength in the latter end of Home Education, where she transcends the bondage of her mother’s “teachings”, representing the power of youth and its inevitable commencement through life which clears the way of people and ideals which have come before it [SPOILER ALERT END]. By focusing the story, and indeed even the title, on this idea of “education”, Niada combines elements of horror filmmaking within the assumed safety of a home and safe environment of learning. This contrast works brilliantly to highlight the tension of the film, the unspoken divide between the two main protagonists, whilst making a poignant commentary on the sometimes false presumption that our elders in society know what’s best.

Reed deliver an excellent onscreen performance as the film’s leading character. Her arc throughout the story is believable and tenderly done, allowing for some absolutely formidable moments later on. Churchill is brutally engaging, reminiscent of Kathy Bates in Misery at times, maintaining that important balance between intimidating but believable without venturing into cartoonish melodrama.

As mentioned previously in this film review, the atmosphere created in Home Education is palpable, and a great deal of credit is due to the score by composer Andrea Boccadoro. Music for horror films is often a tricky business. Too much foreboding and the whole thing feels heavy with darkness, too much plinky plonky keys and you feel like you’re watching a panto. Home Education benefits from a score which is completely in tune with the bulging tension that rides throughout, capturing the sense of intrigue that audiences will feel through the opening and middle sections, then capitalising on the momentum Naida builds by the end with perfect musical execution. It is wonderfully done.

Some of the creepy visuals may be off-putting for some audiences, especially given the difficult nature of the events unfolding alongside it. However, many will enjoy this combination which is brilliantly done. Fans of the horror or thriller genre will feel in their element with Home Education, a piece of filmmaking which tears others like it to shreds. It has an original story which is gripping and interesting, fantastic performances, and an overall aesthetic which is masterfully sculpted and delivered.

‘Home Education’ short film review analysis

The film review includes one image which is positioned at the very beginning of the review, the one photo that is used is the film poster this is effective as it allows the audience to help visualise the short film. The film poster uses dark and dull colours, this reflects to the first sentence of the review ‘A tense and thought-provoking drama/psychological thriller’, and by positioning the poster and this sentence together it instantly informs the reader of the genre of the film. The genre of a film is important, what films people watch is determined on the genre of the film. By informing the reader that Home Education is a thriller it will instantly attractive the readers that are fond of thriller films.

The review then goes onto a short plot outline of the film, in this plot outline only background information is revealed which is effective as it doesn’t reveal too much to the reader and therefore it intrigues them to find out more. As the review says ‘What is unusual about her situation is that her mother (Jemma Churchill) is convinced that as long as the pair of them continue to love and impress their father, whose body lies rotting on an upstairs bed, he will most likely come back to life’, it supports the genre of a psychological thriller, and by informing the reader of the unusual events in the film it encourages the reader to watch the film to find out what happens. The brief plot outline is positioned in the review next to the film poster, this is effective as it allows for the audience to have a clearer understanding of the plot as the main image in the poster of the two protagonists means that they can visualise the film. Further into the review spoilers are revealed to the reader, this is effective to the reader if they have already seen the film as it they will be able to comment on it. However, the majority of film reviews are read before seeing to see if the film is worth watching and by including spoiler alerts it means that the reader won’t be encouraged to watch the film to find out more. Although, the spoilers that are given in this review have been alerted to the reader with ‘[SPOILER ALERT]’ this is effective as it means that the reader is aware that it includes spoilers and means that they have the choice of whether they want to read it.

Throughout the review a positive and successful impression is given to the reader of the film, this is effective as it suggests to the reader that the film is worth watching and makes them feel like that they are missing out if they don’t watch it. This is constantly done in the review, for example ‘The idea for the story is fantastic, and works really well as a short film. Its plot is strong enough to be entertaining for audiences by itself, but add in the thematically troubling elements which the story represents and you have something particularly special on your hands’, this is effective as it praises the film and encourages readers to watch the film. The film is also praised for its storyline and credit is given to the director, ‘Disturbing and absurdist, without ever feeling farcical, Home Education is an absolutely enthralling short film. There is heightened tension throughout, two powerhouse performances, and a nightmarish atmosphere created through stark visuals and an eerie score, that are perfectly delivered by Naida.’ The use of ‘powerhouse performances’ also shows that the actors played an important and successful role in the film, the word ‘powerhouse’ suggests that the actors and actresses played strong roles. By informing the reader that the actors and actresses were successful and the film has strong performances in it, it again shows that the film is successful as good acting plays a major role in the success of a film. Naida, the director is given credit for the film and by including her name it makes her known the readers and could make her directing career go further as it may lead to being spotted by film companies. Praising the director and giving credit to her could will mean that the readers will be intrigued in other films that she has directed. The performances from Reed (main protagonist) is further commented on further into the review where she is described as

‘an excellent onscreen performance as the film’s leading character. Her arc throughout the story is believable and tenderly done, allowing for some absolutely formidable moments later on.’ One again this shows that the film is successful and giving credit to the actress could lead to her acting career becoming more serious.

The review finishes with commenting on how successful the short film ‘Home Education’ is, this is shown by the last sentence with ‘It has an original story which is gripping and interesting, fantastic performances, and an overall aesthetic which is masterfully sculpted and delivered.’ The end of the review leaves the reader intrigued about the usual narrative and therefore will encourage them to watch the film. In the last paragraph the writer of the review, Chris Olson, describes the film with ‘a piece of filmmaking which tears others like it to shreds’, this is very effective as it implies that this film cannot be compared to any other short film because ‘it is wonderfully done’ and ‘Fans of the horror or thriller genre will feel in their element with Home Education’. By ending the review on a positive it is effective as it will be the last thing that the reader will read and will stay in the readers mind.