Ivan Kander
Word of warning: Hardware, the 2017 Sundance selection from writer/director Stephen Jacobson, is weird…really weird. But, if you follow Sundance’s short selections with even casual interest, that shouldn’t surprise you. Although it’s America’s most well-known film festival, Sundance’s short program skews very much towards the avant-garde. They like stuff that pushes buttons and makes you uncomfortable (i.e. not your typical festival prestige dramas).
In that sense, Hardware very much fits into the Park City oeuvre. I’ll be honest. I tend to scoff at these “Sundancey” types of shorts, chalking them up as “weird to be weird.” Well, while Hardware is strange, ultimately, it worked for me because it centers on such a fascinating central character. Admittedly, I have a penchant for inept cinematic losers—American Movie-esque “heroes” who are fascinating in both their cluelessness and awkwardness. Hardware’s protagonist fits into that sad sack mold—a pudgy, middle-aged “go-getter” who seems like his entire mindset was formulated from reading bad entrepreneurial blog posts on LinkedIn. In it’s own unique way, Hardware is commenting on the American dream, or, at the very least, those who get stuck in its maze long enough to realize it’s actually a nightmare.
Oh, and did I mention, it’s a comedy? While the surreality might be distancing for some, Jacobson harnesses it, mining every moment of its darkly comic potential. On a character level, this comes with the awkward way the protagonist—the gloriously named Branch Dangus—interacts with the world and the people in it. From his facial expressions to the clothes he wears (his pants need their own movie), Dangus is a hilarious screen presence. But, Jacobson takes things even further as the film keeps climbing rung after rung of cinematic weirdness, eventually climaxing with a full blown 80s music video/self-help montage. It’s definitely not for everyone, but we guarantee that it’s something that you’ll be hard pressed to forget.
As Jacobson relates to Short of the Week:
“I wanted to create fully realized art, but beyond that, I wanted to make something unique–while I don’t think it’s everyone’s cup of tea, it’s definitely something I’m proud of. I wanted to present a character who seems so plain and boring that he’s essentially inaccessible to any viewer, but give a glimpse into a picturesque inner world ripe with conflict. I definitely wanted to alienate the audience from a deeply alien character.”
Now that Hardware is online, Jacobson is currently working on a feature-length screenplay about opponents in a local election. Color us excited—we’re interested to find out if this sort of strange tonal sensibility can sustain itself for an expanded runtime.