The Stand (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

2025 HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!

When Quinn (Jovie Leigh) and Liam’s (Kailen Jude) mother is called away, they are tasked with looking over the family food stand. The Stand follows these two children as they try to make enough money to support their family, prove to their mother that they’re capable, and ensure that Quinn can participate in the school concert. 

The dialogue in The Stand often feels inorganic, causing some of the more pivotal moments to fall flat and fail to resonate with viewers. The conversations present throughout the course of this short film often feel rigid, incapable of flowing how one might expect a genuine conversation among family members to actually play out. The film suffers as a result of the fractured dialogue, but it struggles further as a result of the actors being unable to deliver them appropriately. The right actor(s) can manipulate ineffective dialogue enough to make it accessible, but it feels as if no one present in the film possesses enough gusto to heighten this aspect of The Stand. 

Furthermore, The Stand employs some rather simple (even out of place and questionable) cinematography. Unfortunately, that causes viewers to question the rest of the film. Simplistic and inorganic aspects regarding both the aforementioned dialogue and the cinematography hinder The Stand, and, again, forced me to question the validity of individual pieces of the film, and the film as a whole, throughout. 

Both the dialogue and the cinematography affect the viewing experience, and play a role in my overall perception of the film. However, there are aspects of The Stand that greatly appealed to me and which allowed the film to work. 

First of all, the title, The Stand, is intelligent, as it plays many roles throughout the course of the film. A food stand, the stand in a courtroom, or standing up to an oppressive opposition—the title offers insight into the many variables that affect Quinn. Considering how many major events play a role in this narrative, it almost feels as if Nguyen could have benefitted from simplifying this aspect of The Stand—though, I’m not sure if it’s necessary. While I do believe that there were, at times, too many moving parts, it ultimately works. 

By the end of the film, when dialogue takes a backseat and the actors are able to show off what they’re capable of, The Stand becomes full of powerful emotion that resonates with viewers. It’s a stark contrast to the lacking dialogue, and it provides a fitting and wonderfully effective conclusion. The Stand tears at you as it prepares to fade to black, and as you realize that all these two innocent children have been working toward will likely remain out of reach. The Stand ends on a note that’s brilliantly human, perfectly honest in a way that many films aren’t brave enough to be. This is the film’s shining moment, and as perfect an ending as I could have hoped for. 

Directed by Oanh-Nhi Nguyen. 

Written by Oanh-Nhi Nguyen & Corey Pinchoff. 

Starring Jovie Leigh, Kailen Jude, Nicole Santiago, Yuvi Grewal, Marvin Gay, etc. 

7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING