Principals (2011)

At Dalton Brown High School the Principals are less than effective, and they struggle to see eye-to-eye with their employees. Gladys (Heidi Zenz) is a hard worker, dedicated to her bosses, and to everyone else in the school. However, she exists at the bottom at the totem pole–struggling to find her way. Not all of us are able to find the perfect job, and Gladys has found herself firmly planted in one of the most frustrating positions in the world.

I’ve worked in schools most of my adult life, and I can completely understand and appreciate the ineptitudes of administration. That’s not to say that all administrations share the same incompetencies, but the reality is that these issues exist nonetheless. Seeing Gladys sit there, interaction after interaction, and have to deal with the ridiculousness of her bosses resonated with me. Principals hits the nail on the head when it comes to depicting these sort of awkward professional relationships–and that allows the film to reach viewers with ease.

Principals is a bit cheesy, maybe even a little too over dramatic at times–but I think this use of hyperbole to tell the story and to develop the characters plays a role in how viewers receive the film. Without the exaggeration, I believe that Principals plays out like just another day at the office. It can be frustrating, sure, but it doesn’t accurately represent just how daunting dealing with some bosses can be. It’s a smart decision on the part of Writer-Director Sean Murray to create a script and a film that plays out in this way, but, again, while it feels slightly fabricated, those emotions that we all feel at work each and every day rise to the surface and remain there throughout the course of Principals.

In a recent conversation it was brought to my attention that Timothy J. Cox (Mr. Gerard) possesses many of the qualities of a silent film star. His facial expressions and his ability to use his body to tell a story is similar in fashion to the stars of the early twentieth century. That’s exactly what Principals needs–and that’s just what they get throughout the five-minute short film. Much like Cox, the rest of the cast in Principals provides a similar performance. They're silly and incredibly expressive. Given the ridiculousness of the film, I believe that having actors that aren’t as capable as this bunch to wear their emotions on their sleeves would have caused it to fail.

I think that Principals looks like a silly, nonsensical short film at first glance. It’s easy to make that mistake given the absurdities that exist throughout the film–but at the heart of the film is a message that has the potential to resonate with everyone. Murray creates a film that holds a mirror up to those in charge of the work industry, those who have the power to either treat their employees with respect or as if they were just a number. He reminds the world of the importance of being good to those around you, especially when you are in a position of power–and, again, Principals hits the nail on the head as it conveys this message to the world.

Written & Directed by Sean Murray.

Starring Heidi Zenz, Jennifer Ewing, Eric Whitehead, & Timothy J. Cox.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10