The Strange Ones (2011) User Reviews

Being ...

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 22 January 2012]

You have a situation portrayed in this short, that makes you believe you know what's going on. But do you really? The short plays with clichés and expectations, but does won't give you an easy answer. This might not be something you like to see, depending on your taste. A lot of people do like clarity. You won't get this here.

It's all about what you think, with hints thrown into the mix. There are just a couple of actors and every move or sentence looks/sounds ambivalent. It is up to you to decide what you think of what you see and hear. It is a nice thing and the actors are really good in this. The mood they create is captivating. Maybe on a level that will engulf you too

Tobias Campbell

[yusufpiskin · 6/10 · 7 June 2021]

The short film couldn't understand the story because it didn't have enough time. I guess that's why Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein wanted to do feature films. (2017 re-make) Tobias Campbell in the lead role in both movies is a great detail. After watching this, you should watch the long version.

Great atmosphere

[injury-65447 · 9/10 · 25 May 2020]

I hear it was turned into a full length movie That isn't very good. Which is a shame because I enjoyed this short.

Creates a great sense of tension and mystery and doesn't ruin it with any stupidity at the end. A low level of dread pervades the piece. Leaves you thinking.

The Strange Ones: Dire stuff

[Platypuschow · 1/10 · 27 January 2018]

I watched the feature length 2017 movie first not aware that it was based upon this short created by the same folk.

It's essentially a single scene from what would later be a movie revolving around the odd relationship between a man and boy.

I considered the movie to be one of the worst films I'd seen in years and therefore going into the original short I had very low expectations.

Alike it's big brother this is unnerving, directionless and poor on so very many levels.

The Strange Ones makes a fantastic companion piece to the movie, a perfect recommendation to anyone you wish ill against.

The Good:

It was very short

The Bad:

Had no purpose

Unsettling

Things I Learnt From This Short:

Of all the shorts to be turned into a feature length movie THIS is the one that makes it!

the ambiguity

[Kirpianuscus · 7 June 2020]

The ambiguity is the clay for this short film for build the story. But all seems and becomes wrong. You expect a real story. I t has not one. You expect discover if it is a piece of rich imagination of a boy desiring keep attention or the naked truth. But you only suppose. The worst - it remains so ambiguous. Short, a try.

Whose a psycho?

[adamjohns-42575 · 3/10 · 23 June 2021]

You never know what to believe any more? I heard somewhere that if you're being raped that you're more likely to get assistance if you shout fire instead of rape? Isn't that weird? So is the youngster here telling the truth or is he just trying to get his older brother in trouble? The motel receptionist is a bit clueless and useless too, much like she was in 'The Walking Dead' before she got an arrow in her eye.

Leaves you thinking.

Gay-theme? Mysterious? Obscene?

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 5 May 2016]

A bit of everything perhaps. "The Strange Ones" is a 5-year-old 14-minute live action short film that got writers and directors Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein a great deal of awards attention and may be one of the reasons why they are still in film today. I personally cannot second the praise though. The two lead actors were fairly forgettable and the script was not exactly mind-blowing either. The most prominent cast member is certainly Merritt Wever, an Emmy nominee now. So yeah, what else is there to say about the film. I kinda liked how atmospheric it was. I wish the acting and story could have been on par with that. But they are not and this lack of class makes it just another forgettable gay-themed short film. Not recommended.