Review for ‘‘Man off the Coast’’ by Matt Sedgley

The beach, the interstice between earth and water, the known and the unknown, stability and uncertainty, has played host to many an existential and emotional conversation and confrontation throughout film history. Matt Sedgley's Man Off The Coast honors that tradition as it constructs a dialogue between two outcast members of society attempting to find compassion.

Man Off The Coast may be a short quarter of an hour in length, however it manages to cut straight to the chase and tell the story of Molly, a young girl caught in a system that pretends to care for her mental and physical health while in reality neglecting and antagonizing her, fitting her into a mold made of preconceptions and fear. The themes of exclusion, mental health, empathy with strangers, and the substitution of family reflect the young director's own experiences and expertise in mental health care, which in turn allows him to critique the system with a view from within, a system which continuously fails some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

The short's final sequence encompasses everything done right with its visuals. Hauntingly beautiful photography, a dynamic soundtrack that oscillates between accompanying and dominating scenes, a sleek transition in the narration, and a heavily symbolic visual language. The rest of the film is also characterised by effective color compositions, purposeful camerawork and - perhaps most importantly for such a character-driven short - strong emotional acting, especially from the two main leads.

At the end of the day, the two most important things a film can do is be true to the creator's message and vision, and be artful in themselves. Man Off The Coast accomplishes both those things, and even though it breaks no conventions and doesn't take risks, it takes a hard look at our social welfare and mental health systems, while at the same time crafting a relatable and emotional story. Amazing first filmmaking effort with Matt Segdley at the helm.