Short Film Analysis no.3 - High Maintenance

High Maintenance

(Phillip Van, 2006) 

The opening shot of the film is a medium long shot of the main female character eating dinner at the head of the table with her husband. By making this the opening shot of the film, it connotes to the audience that between the two characters, the wife has the most power as the long shot used implies that she has the most control over the environment around her as the back of her husbands head is the only shot you get of him up to present, highlighting his lack of significance from the very start. 

The diegetic sound used of the couple eating creates a scene of realism and amplifies the awkward and dull exchange between the two, as neither of them are talking and the only sound to fill the silence is them eating. The close-up shots of both husband and wife also create a personal and intimate environment between the pair, perhaps trying to present an ideal environment in which they wish they had between them -one being full of intimacy. However, the performance of the husband in the shot shows him to be uninterested and possibly content with the normalcy of just eating dinner, therefore taking away the intimacy which the woman possibly wants to feel with her husband. This is further reflected by the low-key lighting used in the shot, showing how there is no interest behind the man's persona.   

The film then continues to show the husband rebuffing the woman's invitation to drink, and then continuing to show the woman drinking the entirety of her glass in defiance to the man's attitude. The medium close-up of the man's hand over his drink implies a sense of power of the man over the woman and her offerings, emphasising the idea that the man has no interest in the same things as the woman does. The low-key lighting in the shot also connotes the tension and lack of interest of the situation and the woman's offerings. The close-up of the woman then drinking her glass of wine shows the significance of her actions in the situation and her defiance to her husband's attitude. The high-key lighting of the woman drinking her wine also connotes the sense that what she's doing, in her eyes, is very fun and joyful as she's being free in what she's doing, therefore giving power back to the woman and her actions. 

However, the wife's power is then challenged by that of her husbands as he starts smoking in defiance of her own actions, despite her telling him not to smoke in her house. The close-up of the man lighting a cigarette shows the power behind the actions and how significant it is. This shows the relationship of the characters to the audience as being unhappy with consistent exhaustion of each others actions. The low-key lighting also reflects this sense of unhappiness and uneventful marriage between the pair. The diegetic sound of the lighter to light the cigarette the second time also connotes the significance of the action and how it defies the wishes of the wife.

The film then continues to show the couple arguing, and then the wife responding by cuddling her husband in what seems like a compassionate and caring way. However, the non-diegetic music being used connotes that perhaps something sinister or unexpected is about to happen to the man under his wife's touch. This is even further implied by the extreme-close-up of the wife's face in which she looks serious and solemn. This therefore adds to the tension that has built up between the pair as the film's narrative goes on. The audience then understands the use of the ominous music after the wife turns off her husband who is then revealed to have been a robot. This adds to the powerful representation already bestowed on the woman as she now seems even more superior compared to that of the man. 

The woman's mise-en-scene after she turns her husband off is then presented as being care-free as she takes off her shoes, and in the medium shot, puts her feet on the table. This presents the woman to being seen as even more free than before as the audience can only assume that her actions would be something that her husband would despise of, especially as she is seen looking at her husband from the table in an almost exasperated way. As well as this, the high-key lighting used around the woman connotes the idea that she is seemingly happier now she feels free from her unhappy marriage to a man who she had become to see as boring and uptight.

A long shot of her husband turned off still sitting at the dining table creates an image of detachment from humanity as the shot presents him to seem very inanimate. This creates a complex reaction as only moments before, we believed that the man was human with a very normal and mundane life. The long shot also presents the man to seem even more inferior than he did before, as his positioning and mise-en-scene of body language is displayed as very timid and insignificant. However, the high-key lighting of the candles and lamp around the man could possibly foreshadow that, although the woman believed him to be less than what she deserved, he is perhaps going to be a better match than anyone else that she has in mind in the future.

The film then cuts to a close-up shot of the woman on the phone ordering a new husband online. The characters mise-en-scene and body language is very guarded and almost secretive, connoting to the audience that the woman feels as though she's doing something wrong. This creates the impression that she is perhaps ashamed of her actions and feels as though she's betraying her husband.

The scene then cuts to a close-up shot of a wedding picture of the couple, possibly emphasising the true impact of what she's doing and how she's essentially throwing away most of her past, and her whole marriage. This could also reflect some sentimentality the woman is perhaps feeling towards her husband, and that although she is no longer happy, she did have some happy memories. The low-key lighting of the shot however, does connote that there is no saving her from doing what she's about to do by upgrading her husband, and that her marriage no longer gives her joy and happiness.

The next shot of the woman as a long shot with editing to show it zooming out creates a detachment to the audience and the woman as she is no longer really someone to relate to as the situation that's being presented has lost its form of realism for the audience. As well as this, the more the camera zooms out, it seems as though the more the woman is being lost to her past and is getting further and further away from the life she once lived with her previous husband. The positioning of the shot with her in front of her laptop creates a image in which she seems as though she is simply shopping for something online, which completely juxtaposes the idea that she isn't just carelessly shopping for something mundane, but she's shopping for a new husband. The low-key lighting and dark aesthetic of the shot also connotes this dark and peculiar situation. 

The film then continues to show her new husband being delivered like mail. The close-up shots of both the woman and her new husband mirror that of the close-ups used at the start of the film, as they create another personal and intimate connection. The shots also allow for the audience to see the normalcy of what the woman has done by ordering a new husband as her reaction shows her to being in a state of awe at the idea of being able to have a new life with someone more exciting and ambitious.

The camera then cuts to a tracking shot of the woman watching her husband being taken away and her going to say goodbye to him. The medium close-up used shows the mise-en-scene of the woman's facial expression and how she's reacting to her husband being taken away. From the performance of the woman, it shows that she perhaps still feels something for her husband and part of her is still sad to see him leave. This reaction reflects a very human approach to her husband leaving, and shows the audience she isn't completely detached from the sentiment of her marriage ending.

The film then presents parallels between both her old husband and new husband by using the symbolism of her taking off her old husbands ring and putting it on the hand of her new husband. The close-up shots used of both the men's hands connotes their significance and how big of a change this is in the woman's life, despite her initial reaction to be very blasé and carefree about it.  

The film then takes a very unexpected turn when a plot twist is introduced into the narrative to show that the woman was also a robot the whole time. Despite the initial reaction of the audience possibly believing the woman was in fact human, especially after the powerful connotations of her character in contrast to her robotic husband, it shows the true gender equality behind both representations of gender within the film, as the first assumption was that only males were a robot. This close-up shot of the back of the woman's head further shows the transition of power from the woman to the man, as the woman now reflects the same position as that of her old husband from the very start of the film, with the back of his head being the first introduction of him. 

The power is then focused on that of the man as the film ends with a medium long shot of the husband on the sofa smoking a cigarette. From the past narrative, we know this to be very significant as his actions are defiant in what the woman would want in her home. This carefree and obnoxious behaviour towards his wife and their relationship transfers the power from the wife to the husband. This shot also connotes the ideology of the film and how the woman wanted to change her husband as he wasn't good enough for her, for her to then become not enough for her new husband, and the positions of power changing in the relationship.