Not Guilty, the new short film by writer/director John D’Alessandro, is a powerful examination of the cycles of violence and abuse and how they can repeat and self-perpetuate if left unchecked.
Mark, a teacher on his way to his local gym, is accosted by a group claiming to be a sting operation targeting online paedophiles. In the blink of an eye, he finds himself preparing to be interviewed by Gardai and having to explain himself to legal counsel.
The film works remarkably well for a self-contained story that unfolds almost exclusively through exposition from the main character. We get glimpses of a man trying to keep his own trauma buried while also processing the repercussions of the allegation he has been confronted with. Mark is clearly hiding something from the audience but whether it’s a measure of guilt or something darker is ultimately a question the audience will have to gauge for themselves, as we experience the weight of the charge only through Mark’s perspective.
It’s a bold choice, asking an audience to hear only from the side of someone accused of something so despicable and to choose then whether or not to put their faith in that person. Still, D’Alessandro imbues the character with a nice balance of fieriness and melancholy and is more than capable of engaging the audience for the film’s duration.
A well-crafted and well-written character piece that highlights John D’Alessandro and co-director Sophie Corrigan Powell as talents to watch out for behind the camera.
