A woman mourning her mother is confronted by the group of people her mother has saved.
From a story by by Sam Fox and written by Addison Heimann with Fox directing, this comedic short film is set in the late 1980s and is as bright and loud as one would expect. This little oddity is one that is both fun and introspective in a way. The lead character is both mourning her mother and healing her inner child while learning to let go of a past she wishes she had and learning to embrace the present. Thematically, this film is packed and definitely makes the most of its short run time. Of course, the story can only go so deep with the time it has to develop, but it works great as is. The writing here is solid and the direction has a clear vision which is brought to the screen just right.
The cast here is great, all giving performances perfect for the film, a bit over the top, a touch tongue-in-cheek, a whole lot of extra, just the right mix of these elements to make the film just right. Lead Desiree Staples is great here and really makes the most of the insanity while a lot of the insanity is brought by her mother played by Barbara Crampton who wants do not need to be told does fantastic here. These two create a mother-daughter duo that shows the differences and similarities between such duos quite well. The two of them are the center of the film and their performances sell the whole film in no time flat.
Two elements of the film here stand out (besides the above), the décor and the wardrobe, each becoming a bit like extra characters in the film. These two elements are on point and work together is loud, colorful harmony. Their effect is stunning and memorable. Working with this is the cinematography which is calculated and on point while keeping the images active and, like much of the rest, a bit extra. The editing of course helps with this, giving the film life and energy, making it ultra dynamic.
The Blue Diamond is a fantastic short that makes great use of its run time, is loud, somehow happy considering the subject matter, and is just exactly right. This is what a totally extra, totally tubular mom of the 80s obsessed with skiing would want for her funeral. Do you ski?