Conventional (2015) User Reviews

A dark comedy debut that's minimalist and pitch-perfect

[mmaggiano · 8/10 · 6 February 2016]

Karen Gillan's writing/directing debut is an absurd dark comedy about a b-movie horror actress who can't get roles anymore and resorts to horror conventions to make a few dollars from appearances and autographs... and so on. The grotesquerie on all sides, the humor, and the perfect tone of the short all indicate that greater things may be to come from Gillan as a writer/director/actress.

The framing, horror lighting, restrained hand-held camera, and assured shot sequences prove that Gillan and cinematographer Zach Voytas partnered well. The combination of that partnership with Gillan's mature writing style and her acting prowess make Conventional far more than a small-channel youtube find. It's a hidden gem and a great dark comedy short.

(Fan)goria than expected.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 6/10 · 25 May 2023]

With her fame fading after being replaced by a younger model, a former scream queen takes to the convention circuit to maintain some semblance of relevance in this dark satirical comedy from writer-director-star Karen Gillan. Sporting a Halloween-store set of fake pouty lips, the former 'Doctor Who (2005-)' and current(?) 'Marvel' start draws on her own experience with overly enthusiastic - and vocal - fanbases to craft a bleak and fairly damning representation of the industry. As well as commenting on fan bases, the piece takes aim at the way in which the industry often coldly tosses actors aside once they reach a certain age and it also looks at what fame - and the subsequent lack of it - can do to a person's mental health. 'Conventional (2015)' bites off quite a bit and it makes its points well, the simplicity of its narrative enhancing its poignancy rather than dampening it. It's also a good showcase for Gillan's acting abilities, as she delivers a strong performance that's highlighted by some tragic monologues. Its tone balances humour and horror well, and the short is ultimately as entertaining as it is disturbing. It's a solid effort overall, even if there seemingly isn't all that much to it.

The silliness of some of the extreme aspects doesn't totally hide a satisfyingly dark heart (SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS)

[bob the moo · 4 November 2015]

I'm no Whovian (even though I am currently on season 13 of watching the show from the start) but I have watched the seasons of Doctor Who that Karen Gillan and to be honest only really remember one episode where I thought she gave a really good performance. Okay a big part of this is down to the material giving her the opportunities to do so, but on the other hand I don't think she is a particularly wonderful actress. Seeing this short film was a surprise then to see her write, direct, and perform in this short film, and for it to be as good as it was.

What was also surprising was that the film almost certainly plays on a seed of truth that Gillan herself must carry from her time on the convention circuit, crossed with that fear of fading away that all celebrities must have. The plot is a horror, and there is some blood and gore in there, but really the main thrust of the film is more chilling in its sense of small time desperation of a starlet fading away. Her lips are puffy from bad cosmetic surgery, her career (or blip) is not going well, and her interaction with horror fans at conventions has no connection to the glamorous red carpet life that all those in the industry seek. Although the narrative does have some blood/gore in it, what makes this film work well is that there is a slightly comedic but very real sense of desperation and of fear of becoming obscure.

Although Gillan is doing very well for herself, I am sure that her prominence in sci-fi roles has meant that some element of exaggerated reality is behind this film – probably seeing those on the circuit for many years who are known for one role and are seeing their star- power fade away over time? Even if it is total fiction, there is a familiar core here and Gillan does pretty well to bring it out in smaller moments as well as the more extreme. In the end the blood is more chilling as it brings a type of gratitude rather than fear. The more comedic excess doesn't always work, but it is more than balanced out by this dark and quite raw emotion of a woman terrified of obscurity and irrelevance. It is a surprisingly dark and satisfying short film that is much smarter than the 'YouTube horror' that it is presented as.

Certainly not a conventional film, but not a really good one either

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 22 April 2017]

"Conventional" is a 9-minute live action short film and this one is somewhat known these days because the writer, director and actress in here is Karen Gillan. The movie is basically about a has-been actress from a once famous horror movie and we see how she struggles to stay popular. It is never clear how much is facade and how much is real with this character, but the almost-ending suggests that she is a lot smarter than she acts around people. Anyway, the actual ending is a bit of a stretch as, even if it may turn the character into a legend in her own world, it felt a bit overly dramatic to be honest, which is kind of a shame as the film before that was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary really either, but bearable to watch. Then again maybe the ending is just a bit of poking fun at all kinds of horror movies and they just did not want to without some real horror eventually here I guess. Oh yeah her lips were so gross. All in all, a solid little spoof that is actually pretty close to the truth in terms of many has-been actresses. A bit of a sad state of affairs. I still have to give the movie a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

you know

[Kirpianuscus · 7 December 2018]

The smile of B- movie horror actress, her confessions, signs of her deep frustration. And to expect the end in the form who is presented. The cinematography, the minimalism, the atmosphere - each represents the fine form for a short film about an industry, succes and fall. You know each detail but the virtue of film is to remind familiar slices as nice travel across cultural references to the subject.