[CFF 2020]: ‘For Your Consideration’ Review: When being relevant is irrelevant

In today’s era of inclusivity and social messaging, it is hard to tell who is sincere and who is just saying what sounds cool. This has bled in to mainstream Hollywood features. There are plenty of movies that have a powerful message to deliver. Unfortunately, there are also releases that shoehorn in certain themes for seemingly no other reason than just to say it was done.

For Your Consideration is a short film screening at the Chattanooga Film Festival. The story is about five friends who are trying to make a movie for Sundance. As they sit around and brainstorm ideas, it is clear what their objective is. More than making something good, they want to create a movie that will win plenty of awards. This means figuring out what the most relevant topics of the day are.

Director Poppy Gordon builds an atmosphere that adds to her film’s comedy. The main characters obviously live a posh life. They talk of parties and live in opulent mansions. At least one works in the entertainment business. They are clearly clueless to how the “other half” lives. Watching them try to make a movie, that caters to the injustices of today’s society is hilarious. Their knowledge of society’s ills are based solely on internet lingo. Still, they are experts at that so have an idea as to what they need to address.

The interactions between the group are incredibly funny. There is a clear power dynamic in play here. Despite their constant talk of being in a safe place and inclusivity, their discussions are anything but. There is even a lack of self awareness as seen when one of the women talks about experience in prison life. For Your Consideration is filled with sideways glances and snarky barbs that are delightfully mean spirited in a childish way.

Many movies seem to believe that nothing is more important that delivering some sort of social message is more important than anything else. For Your Consideration is a comical look at how important it is for people to sound like they are saying the right thing. Along the way, it also asks a very serious question. Even if a person knows all the right buzzwords and even believes in the messages on some level, does any of it manner if what they care about most is other people recognize it?