Jean-Paul Ly’s short film Speed Dating (an apt title) is about a speed dating evening that goes wrong with deadly consequences.
Emma (Eloise Lovell Anderson) is a beautiful businesswoman too immersed in her work. She suffers through an evening of speed dating because she lost a bet to her roommate. As Emma is about the duck out during the break, she meets the handsome Julian (Michael Kodi Farrow) sipping a glass of white wine at the bar. But, before the spark of love ignites, a gang of killers interrupts the speed dating event looking for the secret agent known as Silver Fox. One by one, the thugs kill guests they suspect are their target.
“…a gang of killers interrupts the speed dating event…”
Speed Dating is an incredible action short. Unfortunately, you will need to sit through typical bad date gags you’d associate with speed-dating sketch routines. However, your patience will be rewarded. Considering that he most likely had a low budget to work with and a small set of stuntmen and women with exceptional skills, writer/director Jean-Paul Ly knows how to shoot a high-stakes action scene. The way the camera captures the action is a masterpiece.
I cannot overstate how good the fighting is from a cinematic and composition standpoint. The choreography is excellent. The stunt performers fantastically switch from using guns to hand-to-hand combat. This proves that Ly can tell a story through fighting, which often goes unnoticed by regular audiences.
Speed Dating is the perfect vehicle for filmmaker Jean-Paul Ly to use fighting to move the plot forward. It’s also a great showcase for Eloise Lovell Anderson, who is irresistible and commands the screen. Why am I calling out Anderson? You’ll see as this 13-minute short goes by fast.
For screening information about Speed Dating, visit the Bad Guy Productions’ official website.