« Night Voices» by Bradley Hawkins

For every night, no matter how dark it is, there is always a dawn ready to break.

Bradley Hawkins’ short film “Night Voices” is a masterful exploration of the deep psychological turmoil of its protagonist, Jude Wilcox, who plays a radio host working at the graveyard shift of his local radio station, and is a sort of a scapegoat bombarded with hostile phone calls from listeners.

Although his past is unknown to us, it is evident that his existence, governed by a not-so-satisfying job, seems to have exhausted him, and not even a caustic sarcasm toward his listeners can give him relief. But yet another humiliating late-night phone call lends itself to being the straw that overflows a vase of resentment.

A character that is difficult to forget, who alone gives tone and body to a very sharp story that takes place in a few hours, entrusted to the all-encompassing interpretation of Gorman Riggiero, who gives us back a dark but profoundly human character, and to a deliberately squalid photography and composition and asphyxiated that forces the spectator to suffer a barrage of blows against the wall.

The film takes the viewer on a gripping and emotional journey through Jude’s struggles, exploring the subjects of mental health and religion with great skill and nuance. Just when all seems to be lost, an unexpected turn brings, with difficulty and without easy do-gooders, a glimmer of hope in Jude’s life.

It is the voice of innocence of Hunter, the protagonist’s young nephew, who, strong with the clear courage of his age, isn’t discouraged by the wall of anger that surrounds his uncle and manages to lighten its darkness.

A psychological thriller that deals with both the rawness of reality and the power of words and spiritual reflection to find a way out of the dark, this film is perfect for those who love the night and deep reflections.