What's the worst thing you've ever done? Perhaps, you've stolen something from the grocery store. Maybe it was cheating on a test or even cheating on your significant other. Side note, that is a special type of pain that I don't wish on anyone. It nearly cost me, my life. I don't want to sound holier than thou, but I honestly don't know if I could answer that question. About a year or so, before I got cheated on. I started to wedge myself between a couple, ultimately ending up with the girl a couple of months later.
As I'm sitting here, writing this now, I'm trying to be vulnerable and answer that question. Quite literally, nothing is coming to mind. I feel shame for the emotional affairs I had back in the day. Breaking couples up, I've joked around about it on the podcast before, but I was a true man whore and heartbreaker. We all mistakes but it’s how we grow from them, though. In the film, Softness of Bodies, viewers are taken through the character journey of Charlotte Parks and her slow spiral of bad to worse. All while standing firmly in her narcissism.
While not a long film, clocking in under 75 minutes, Bodies never feels like it drags. Making practical use of all the characters revolving around the main character. Everything from the ex-boyfriend in Oliver Ross (Morgan Krantz), the rival (Nadine Dubois) and the love triangle she finds herself in. There is one scene, in particular, that sums up perfectly Dasha Nekrasova as the main character, Charlotte Parks. Parks is attending a party when she asks someone, "why didn't you tell me about this? " To which the character responds, "you only listen to me, if I'm talking about you."
Honestly, that is a true character dynamic throughout the film. Her actions and arc consistently progress from bad to worse. Though, it makes for the argument - does that make for true character development? That's really where some of the issues of the film start to come into play. Nekrasova is fantastic in the role. However, the shorter runtime of the movie caps its potential. Even when the film gets interesting, it quickly wraps it up. As good as this film is, its' never as good as it could be. In some ways, it feels scared to grow. Choosing to end abruptly – which in turn leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the viewer.
Overall, Softness of Bodies, is an intriguing character study but operates with training wheels. The film's lead in Dasha Nekrasova is strong enough to carry the film. However, her character never grows past what we've known about her in the opening moments of the film. The filmmakers are fairly well at conveying details about her but never growing This one might not steal the heart of everyone but is still has some a plentiful offering.
RORSCHACH RATING:
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Music by Beggars. Softness of Bodies is property of Rock Salt Pictures. We do not own nor claim any rights.