The Wide World of Shorts – The Adventure (2008 written & directed by Mike Brune, USA)

Written by Matt Olsen

For the final two entries in this series, which will almost certainly conclude next week, I have selected my favorite short films. I came across The Adventure after seeing the director, Mike Brune’s, sole feature, Congratulations! at a film festival in probably 2012. Going in, I knew nothing about that film however the capsule summary piqued my attention to the max: 

“Congratulations! is an absurdist crime-thriller-comedy about Detective Dan Skok of the Missing Persons Bureau and the unusual case of Paul Ryan Gray, a boy who goes missing in his own house.”

The phrase “up my street” has never been more apropos. An hour and a half later, I was definitely not disappointed. At this point, I would love to recommend that anyone reading this stop reading this and watch Congratulations! now except that it doesn’t seem to be readily watchable anywhere because we live in bleak times. Fortunately, Brune’s similarly-toned short film, The Adventure, is available and excellent.

The film begins with a perfect recreation of the comfortable banality that exists within a long marriage. As an unremarkable car unhurriedly travels through a pleasantly treelined road on a mild afternoon, a conversation between the driver and passenger plays in voice over. The dialogue, appropriately light, is essentially an expository cue that this husband and wife are well-acquainted, generally satisfied, and burdened only with leisure. The two continue their meandering drive through the park, idly searching for a picnic location. On a whim, they decide to take a detour off the main path and if you’re thinking, “Ah, okay, here we go…This is where it turns dark,” then you’re not exactly wrong but not exactly right either. 

The Adventure trailer

In the distance, the couple notices someone frantically waving. They stop the car and the stranger rushes toward them. It’s a mime. A standard mime in white face make-up, a scoop-necked striped shirt, and bright red suspenders. He’s desperate to impart something to the man and woman but there’s a communication gap – he’s a mime, remember. As the mime expresses his story, the couple blandly take guesses as to what his gestures might mean. Eventually, a narrative is agreed upon and the three parties find themselves in a situation which seems to suggest a need for some urgency. But urgency, as mentioned above, is not an ingredient in this film.

As the only speaking characters in the film, John Curran and Deborah Childs are pitched perfectly. Their characters confront this confusing scenario with a steady reserve, cycling through curiosity, impatience, uncertainty, and, in moments, fear. Not to imply that this is anything other than a comedy, though. The humor is as deliberate and consistent as it is dry. It’s a marvel of pacing – a sterling example that fast and funny aren’t necessarily conjoined. 

The last credit on screen dedicates the film to Michelangelo Antonio and Ingmar Bergman, who both died on The Adventure’s first day of shooting. I’m not going to imply there’s any sort of spiritual link there because I don’t generally believe in things like that but I will contend that echoes of their influence can be found in the quietly confident camera placement and precise editing, also by Brune. That he hasn’t yet made another film since this and Congratulations! is endlessly frustrating to me but, like the couple behind the wheel, perhaps there’s no hurry.

The Adventure is currently available on Vimeo and at fakewoodwallpaper.com.