Waverly

Bluesky

A snapshot of a tumultuous relationship in present day Montreal, Waverly, which is screening as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival, is very handsomely produced for a short. Marie-Pier Diamond’s cinematography makes even the night scenes look luminous, with a glow suggestive of romance or, perhaps, the effects of inebriation.

Max (played by scriptwriter Christos Skentos) is a nightclub doorman who drinks where he works – never really a good idea. Jenna (Romy Victory), whom he affectionately calls Red, works behind the bar. They deny that they’re a couple, though we see them waking up together and their body language suggests they’ve been together for a while.

She doesn’t want a monogamous relationship. He does. This plainly not going to work, but rather than talk it through like adults, she tries to ignore the problem and he experiences bouts of jealous rage, at one point picking a fight which could put both their jobs in jeopardy. There might be room for an interesting story here but sadly the film is very one-sided, implying that Jenna doesn’t know her own mind and that the only reason she could value her independence is mercenary. The heavy-handed ending may position her as a tragic figure, but she’s not in a great position to begin with, with the self-destructive Max treating her as if she were responsible for managing his emotions.

With not much of an arc present for either character, the real tragedy seems to be the cluelessness of young love, which is not much to hang a film on. The actors are competent, but the star is Montreal by night. The love that this crew have for the city is tangible.

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