IMPULSES | Omeleto

A woman fights her impulses during an interview.


IMPULSES is used with permission from Rajendra Thakurathi. Learn more at http://rajendrathakurathi.com.


Psychology student Lia is setting up a camera at the beach, nervously awaiting the arrival of others for a class project's video interview. One of them -- her partner in the class project -- bails. The other, Remy, is the interview subject, and she shows up on time. She's there to talk about her experiences with impulse control disorder for Lia's midterm, and she seems friendly, confident and grounded.

At first, the interview seems to go smoothly, as Lia questions Remy about her experiences as a kleptomaniac. But as Remy gets more vulnerable and uncomfortable as she talks about her experiences, she becomes uneasy. These moments begin to add up, and she finds herself fighting off her almost irresistible urges, even as she talks about conquering them.

Directed and written by Rajendra Thakurathi, this short dramedy functions like a document of a woman struggling with her inner demons, capturing a real-time moment of the character as she wrestles with her impulses and compulsions. Using the frame of a video interview for a class project, the format allows the character to delve deep into her background and psychology. But there's also an internal narrative arc progression underneath the interrogation, one that bubbles up slowly until it comes to the surface, revealing just how hard it is to tame our inner beasts.

The format of an on-camera interview could potentially be static, but the smart, clever writing, bright and clear cinematography and solid performances keep the experience dynamic, setting up the circumstances of the situation with a brisk economy. The momentum builds, however, when Remy arrives and the interview begins in earnest. The excellent dialogue not only lays out Remy's background but also the small interruptions, odd moments and misunderstandings between her and Lia as they conduct the interview. Many of these cleverly build up an underlying uncertainty and doubt; some of these also seem to trigger Remy, such as when Lia mistakes Remy's engagement ring for a stolen trophy.

Those moments of anxiety are subtle, but actor Brooklyn McDaris's understated performance details these fissures and fractures with precision and empathy, whether it's in instances of disassociation or a fleeting feeling of embarrassment or hurt. These add up, concentrating and intensifying until Remy can no longer keep herself restrained.

It makes for a humorous ending to an engaging story, but IMPULSES has greater resonance than a simple joke about a klepto who can't control herself. By detailing Remy's journey with such compassion and understanding detail, we see her oscillation between self-control and compulsion. It's a relatable one, as many who have given up smoking or gone on a diet can tell you, and it shows just how hard it is to be "good" when every impulse requires such vigilance.