Sam Borowski's MANIAC is a gripping drama with a gritty look like a 1970s film (kudos to cinematographer Bill Schweikert for that, too). Fans of TAXI DRIVER will definitely see some similarities, as will those fans of FALLING DOWN and any other solid movie or TV series that shows a man at his breaking point with society. An outstanding performance turned in by Bill Sorvino, who commandeers the screen. Even though this is a short film and not a full-length feature, it still delivers the emotional punch of a major movie. In fact, one of the positives of it being a short film is that it cuts to the chase. This movie isn't padded with filler or unnecessary subplots and meaningless characters. Everyone contributes to its success.