Parish Bradley appears in Ricky by Rashad Frett, an official selection of the U.S. Shots program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sam Motamedi

Movie Reviews

[Sundance ’23] Reviews for ‘Ricky’, ‘The Family Circus’, ‘Troy’, ‘We Were Meant To’

Nathaniel Muir

January 22, 2023

While the features get all of the attention at the Sundance Film Festival, there are also a number of short film programs. This year, topics range from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to race relations in America. Here are some shorts you have to make sure to check out at Sundance.

Ricky

Parish Bradley appears in Ricky by Rashad Frett, an official selection of the U.S. Shots program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sam Motamedi

Growing up in Hartford, Connecticut, director Rashad Frett has seen how the American justice system has affected close friends of his. Ricky is his way of highlighting the difficulties of transitioning back into society. The short tells the story of a man who has just been released from prison and is trying to make the most of his opportunity to start a new life.

Parish Bradley is great as the title character who is trying to reintegrate into a world where people are more likely to talk at than to him. Ricky has a strong support system in his friends and family, but actual resources are lacking. An emotional and engaging watch that will draw audiences in.

The Family Circus

Scott Subiono, Elyse Dinh, Michael Maceau and Michael Ironside appear in The Family Circus by Andrew Fitzgerald, an official selection of the U.S. Shorts program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Sing Howe Yam

A tense short about a family that is just trying to make it through one Christmas Eve. A great mix of suspense and humor, The Family Circus will keep audiences wondering what is going to happen next. The music is perfect and there is some great camerawork. The interactions between each character is a highlight as everyone plays perfect off each other. Everything comes together in a great ending.

Troy

Adina Verson appears in Troy by Mike Donahue, an official selection of the Shorts program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Ryan De Franco.

Charlie (Michael Braun, Succession) and Thea (Adina Verson, Only Murders in the Building) have a loud neighbor. They can hear Troy having sex all day, everyday. It is a silly premise that wisely never gets too over the top. This allows for the short to focus on what it is really about: the surprisingly strong relationships we build with strangers. A funny short that has heart.

We Were Meant To

A still from We Were Meant To by Tari Wariebi, an official selection of the U.S. Shorts program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute

This short film takes place in a world where Black men have wings and their first flight is a rite of passage. Akil (Tim Johnson Jr.) has recently started a class about instructions on flying. As he excitedly plans for his first time, he deals with the normal fears and insecurities along with ever expanding regulations. Plus, he has to figure out what to do about the girl he has a crush on.

Along with looking inside the life of a teenager, We Were Meant To turns an eye on the Black experience. The end results of Akil’s first attempt are rooted in American slavery while the constant rezoning efforts harken back to the creation of the modern American ghetto. Filled with emotion and strong performances, the story has a great build to its moving finale.

The Sundance Film Festival takes place from January 19 -29. Full shorts lineup can be found HERE

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

❌ Remove all ads on the website
💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
📗 Access to our monthly book club