Blocks (2020) User Reviews

A film for every parent

[chrishastings1066 · 10/10 · 13 October 2020]

I saw this at a festival having been told this is a film 'every woman should see' but that is to underestimate a perfectly executed and multi-layered short film. As a stay-at-home husband and father who has seen the profound weight of responsibility that falls on the mother's shoulders - even when she's not necessarily present - Blocks felt painfully true to life and captures wonderfully not only the truisms that underpin so many family dynamics, but does it in a brilliantly observed and refreshing way. It's glued together by a wonderful central performance by Claire Coffee who - certainly from the response to the screening I attended - perfectly captured and conveyed the experiences and emotions of so many mothers! I'll never look at a Lego brick the same way again.

Funny, Sincere, and Relatable without being corny

[brentonwiseman · 9/10 · 2 May 2020]

I am a 21 yr old man that doesn't have kids and I still deeply connected with "Blocks". Many shows/features that have similar themes and conflict seem to fall flat, especially with the attempts at humor. But the writing and acting shine bright in this, making the 12 min run time feel like 5. "Blocks" is also very well shot and edited without being in-your-face and distracting you from what's really important: the mother.

Of all the SXSW features and shorts I've seen so far, it looks like I'll be recommending this one the most.

Cheery and inventive depiction of familiar parenthood issues

[bob the moo · 25 August 2020]

It sounds weird to say that a film featuring a character that vomits LEGO Bricks or Toys isn't doing anything new, but in a way it is sort of true of this enjoyable short film. Yes the plot involves a young mother who gets ill and finds that she is throwing up plastic blocks, but essentially the film is about the loss of time and self when trying to look after young children. All that you know is here - the mess, the laundry, the constant bending to pick stuff up, the undoing of all of it within minutes etc. As someone with a couple of children, it is very familiar and real.

The clever device though makes the film feel fresher despite the familiarity of the material; it presents it in an interesting way and it is more engaging for it. It does end up in a little bit of a 'pat' place in terms of its message, but it rings true and again the originally of the device does make it work better. The film itself is bright and breezy and well put together; there is an odd sex scene in the middle which seems totally out of step with the rest of the film and jarred a bit - although it may be that I have no frame of reference for what it is depicting, whereas I do for the rest, so maybe it will work for others. Otherwise a very relatable and enjoyable depiction of something hugely relatable.