Slap - Nick Rowland

 

Slap is a short film following a boxer, who likes to express himself through wearing dresses and make up. It explores themes of identity, masculinity and expression, following him as he tries to navigate the reactions of his friends and families. Set in an northern, industrial town, the location gives the sense the man lives in a more conservative atmosphere, adding to the sense of tension for the viewer as we understand it to be more likely for him to encounter negative views on his actions. Mise-en-scene is also important for establishing the atmosphere of the mans environment, with often drab backgrounds and colours, adding to the dingy feel of the scene. This also helps to show how the man stands out against the rest of the town, as his make up stands out with its colourful nature against the drab backdrop. 

Performance is also important throughout the film, allowing us to understand the characters and emotions of each scene. It also gives the film a further sense of realism, with its psychologically credible performances. For instance, in the scene where Lola confronts Connor in the party, she repeats the words "is it mine?". This feels more realistic as we know she is actually angry about Connor lying to her, but the writers chooses to make her express her anger through the object that supposedly belongs to her. The actress acurately portrays these emotions, making us see that her anger is actually beyond the stolen object, and is much deeper than that.