FANTASIA 2020: Survival Skills
fantasiaBased on Quinn Armstrong’s 2017 short film of the same name, Survival Skills tells the story of Jim (Vayu O'Donnell), the cheerful protagonist of a police training video who goes about his day trying to do the right thing. Yet, like many of us have had to do, Jim soon begins to learn the harsh realities of a career in law enforcement all while an omnipotent narrator (Stacey Keach) watches over him.
Framed from the perspective of an early 1980s law enforcement orientation guide – complete with a static-filled VHS aesthetic and all – the film (and the titular character) start off by embracing the optimistic first-timer attitude. It plays like a quirky and irreverent light-hearted comedy that seems to be cheerful for all. However, as Jim starts experiencing the reality of a career in law enforcement, the film takes a much darker and sinister tone, mirroring Jim’s own outlook on life itself.
While many filmmakers could mishandle this tonal change, thanks to Quinn Armstrong’s bold screenplay and his confident directorial prowess, Survival Skills comes off like a surreal cross between Jim Cummings’ Thunder Road and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. The film is able to uphold an aura of dread, propagating the feeling of something ominous being present right around the corner. Yet it refrains from devolving into a one-note horror film. With this tonal balancing act, Armstrong is able to properly juxtapose Jim’s upbeat happy-go-lucky appearance with his deteriorating inner mental state. This prompts conversations of the ever-growing paradoxical conflict of appearance versus reality, resulting in a film that showcases how even the brightest individuals can be broken by societal pressures.
However, even with Armstrong’s talents in play, this film could not have worked without a performance of a lifetime from Vayu O'Donnell. Bringing Jim to life in an incredibly nuanced way, O'Donnell depicts much versatility in his role. He possesses the ability to portray Jim’s journey in a heartbreaking way, from a blank slate and wide-eyed innocent do-gooder to a disillusioned and dishevelled man who is slowly inching towards his end. One cannot forget the many other performances here either, whether it be Stacey Keach’s malevolent role as the narrator of the video – who just might be more in control than we think – Emily Chisholm as an abused mother who isn’t sure of what she should do to confront her abuser or even Once Upon a Time In Hollywood’s Spencer Garret who delivers a brilliant, albeit short, performance as the chief of the precinct, becoming a key agent in the downturn of Jim’s outlook.
There is also much to be said about how the look and feel of the film contributes to its unsettling atmosphere. Armstrong, along with Allie Shultz’s use of lighting and composition, heightens the contrast in Jim’s daily life. His endeavours on duty show a smart eye. Shultz also knows when to use her skills to make certain moments ironic and paradoxical. Serious and traumatic conversations are presented in a light-hearted fashion which harkens back to many of Adult Swim’s surreal productions as well as early 80s sitcoms. On top of that, the bold choice to eventually leave the finely-tuned VHS aesthetic in the final moments for a crisper modernised one adds to the uncertain nature of many key aspects of the film. Furthermore, it takes the viewer out of an idyllic world and drops them into reality, showing that many events within the video are also present in today's society.
Despite the fact that the film could have gone further with its core concept, and does admittedly gloss over the protagonists latter stages of mental development in the form of an abrupt time jump, Survival Skills is, overall, able to move past its weaknesses. The film proves to be a uniquely brilliant technical and thematic exercise, transcending it’s videodrome-esque setup to become a much more relevant tale; the story takes a deeper look into the bleakness of modern law enforcement as well as the harsh cultural standards of abuse and the utter disempowerment from the abuser. It is a brilliant calling card for director, Quinn Armstrong, who’s visionary work on this film ensures that Survival Skills is one that shall not be soon forgotten and will linger in the mind of the viewer for years to come.