Short Film Review: 'Tiptoe' (2020)
Tiptoe, as a whole, feels like a fragment of a larger, more narratively complex feature film. Yet, I found myself thoroughly impressed by the performances, cinematography, and dialogue — specifically the writing that focuses on interpersonal relationshi
★★★ ½
NR - Drama (6 minutes)
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“Noah, a perfectionist middle schooler, is confused by the memory loss she’s experienced before a final exam. At home, her mother misunderstands her, causing Noah to spiral once again into thinking that she’s not good enough for her. Her mother finds her in a panicked state, and as they both dig deeper into Noah’s incident, her mother realizes her prejudices against her daughter. She seeks the help of Noah’s older sister, Eva, who manages to come up with a gesture that proves Noah’s insecurities wrong”
— Official Synopsis
Tiptoe is about the relationships that define us, or help us grow as individuals. Noah (Sophia Flower) is a normal child with a completely normal problem: anxiety. Her mother, presumably single, strives to do the best she can — but even our most significant relationships sometimes have issues. At the end of the day, the people closest to us (our families, genetic or adopted) guide us through our lives and help us navigate difficult obstacles; both externally and internally. It’s a feature of life that writer-director Esen Arikan is able to effectively portray in her thesis film.
All of the performances are delightful, especially in the scene between Noah and her sister (Derrien Kellum). The actors give the impression of having known each other for years, and connecting on the screen as two sisters would in real life. Sophie Malleret (Noah’s mom) truly delivers a convincing performance of a mother trying her best to raise her daughters. I have a feeling that there is more than meets the eye with this character and everything she has gone through.
On the basis of storytelling, Tiptoe is very bare — but surprisingly enough, Noah’s story appears to be far more interesting than a simple six minute short. Grace Zhang, Tiptoe’s cinematographer, shot the film to look very clean and orderly in an attempt to match Noah’s perfectionist personality. Of course, there is a giant exception: the scene, and, arguably, the climax of the short, in which Noah is disturbingly distraught by her anxiety while at school. It’s a scene that feels very akin to Bo Burnham’s Eight Grade (2018), but with a lot less comedy.
Really, the only negative aspect of the short is just how thin on plot it really is. Tiptoe, as a whole, feels like a fragment of a larger, more narratively complex feature film. Yet, I found myself thoroughly impressed by the performances, cinematography, and dialogue — specifically the writing that focuses on interpersonal relationships. Check out the director’s statement below!
“Human interactions have always been the most inspiring and confusing aspect of life for me. For a young girl growing up, her relationship with her role models lies in the scope of the things it impacts. The world is full of question marks and it’s hard to steer the way if one feels lost. This is where I found the inspiration for Tiptoe. For my BFA thesis film, I'm telling the story of Noah, who struggles to connect to the two people she loves most.”
- Esen Arikan
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