How to Be Alone

From one of the creators of Stranger Things comes this short film which looks at mental illness and how paranoia, anxiety, and depression all manifest themselves into one night alone in a large apartment. Or at least, this is what it should have been, but instead it is about how access to resources (money, skills, talent) can make something look great but isn't a replacement for a good film. There has been much criticism of this that it is superficial and empty, but actually I think the problem is that it squanders what it has in the writing. In the detail of the plot is a great raw story with a basis in mental illness, and a horror story acting as a way for those that don't have this challenge, but this doesn't come out.

In fact the film is more frustrating that all of what it could have been is on display, but that it never does anything with it. The gloss makes this more impacting, because you see how strong the other aspects are, so the way that the other aspects are so well done just makes it more striking that the core is not. That said, it is polished, glossy, and very well produced, so I can see it doing good business with the general internet user - but the lack of heart and core strength really limited it for me.