Lloyd Neck (2008)
Lloyd Neck (2008)
Synopsis ADAPTED from IMDB:
Alex has a crush on her brother's friend, Jesse (Brian Dare). But Jesse likes Alex's brother, Taylor (Aaron Michael Davies). Alex knows something is up with her brother. In a confused place, Taylor takes Alex and Jesse to his favourite spot.
Review:
Lloyd Neck is a film about growing up and ‘figuring it all out’ - be it relationships, friendships or responsibilities. An American short film from 2008, written and directed by Benedict Campbell, it features a love triangle between Taylor (a track runner in his final year of high school), his little sister Alex, and Taylor’s best friend, Jesse. It’s a film which suggests more than it presents, with a delicate air between the trio.
The short starts with Taylor seemingly frustrated having underperformed at a track meet. Alex is there watching, having been dropped off by their mum who is going to be away for the weekend. As they are leaving they bump into Jesse who has been at the school developing photos. While Jesse is mainly friends with Taylor, he is familiar and close with Alex too and invites her to join him and Taylor at the park the next day.
Taylor and Alex head to the supermarket to pick up some snacks for the evening (at Alex’s request) and at the till she notices Taylor curiously eyeing up a Tiger Beat magazine (a teen pop culture magazine), which she then adds to their purchase as she realises he might feel awkward buying it for himself. Back at home Alex catches Taylor reading it and tells him “Don’t pull out the posters this time.”, implying that this has happened before! The siblings seem to have a very close relationship with Taylor having the responsibility of looking after Alex while their mum is away. He takes on this responsibility not too begrudgingly, and is warm towards Alex; buying her snacks and hugging her when she is missing their mum.
The next day Alex is all dressed up for the park in case Jesse wants to take her photo - which Taylor teases her about. She responds by asking if Jesse is his boyfriend. Taylor doesn’t immediately respond, so she teases him until he strongly denies. Taylor seems uncomfortable at being teased about this, suggesting that this has hit a sore spot for him. Alex says that she think Jesse likes him and Taylor responds by saying that he thinks she likes Jesse. Alex may well have a teenage crush on Jesse, but this hints that Alex may recognise that there may be more mature feelings going on between her brother and Jesse.
At the park Taylor compliments Jesse’s shirt (raglan - white with yellow sleeves - bright!), which shows a comfortability between the friends. The park is by a body of water and Alex sits on a large rock and plays with some stones while Jesse takes photos of her (with a film camera). Jesse then takes some brooding photos of Taylor. There’s not much speaking - it’s very chill.
Later they’re lying all together in the grass when Taylor strongly suggests to Alex that she go play on her own for a while, so he and Jesse can chill alone, and Jesse gives her his camera to use; but warns her not only to take pictures of squirrels and bunnies! Alone, Jesse and Taylor talk slightly more deeply. Jesse has developed photos of Taylor with a girl, which he gives to him. We find out that she is Taylor’s ex-girlfriend who he recently broke up with. Taylor seems appreciative and not at all emotionally affected as one might be shortly after a breakup. In fact, Taylor remarks on how good they are and Jesse replies by complimenting how Taylor looks in one of them. Jesse then looks guilty and apologises as if he shouldn’t have said that. Taylor doesn’t respond but he then gifts Jesse some lip balm which he says he stole from Alex and is his new favourite. Jesse then tells Taylor “You’re going to come back from school with a boyfriend.”, to which Taylor half-heartedly denies. Taylor then asks Jesse whether some guy ever called him and Jesse says that he and this guy, Chris, are supposed to hang out sometime. Jesse then unconvincingly says that “He’s cool, I guess.”. From this conversation we can gather that Jesse is out to Taylor and that Jesse is aware Taylor is still working himself out.
It appears that Jesse has, or has had, feelings for Taylor, which Taylor is aware of and not been able to reciprocate, but they have stayed close friends. Perhaps Taylor has feelings for Jesse too, but he hasn’t quite figured them out and is still coming to terms with his sexuality. The conversation continues with Jesse telling Taylor “It’s just harder. He’s not like you, you know?”, to which Taylor responds “Like me…a fucking mess?”. Taylor then mentions that he thinks that Alex has a crush on Jesse - Jesse laughs and says how cute that is. He then asks Taylor “Have you told her yet?”, to which Taylor replies “No. She can figure it out.”. What does this mean?! What hasn’t he told Alex? That he’s gay? That he’s confused? It’s unclear - this is a film not about explaining all the details or having all the answers, but a film with only the pieces of the puzzle. The viewer can make their own conclusions.
Myself, I get the feeling that Jesse has told Taylor of his feelings but that Taylor has declined him. However, I believe that Taylor likes Jesse back, but he’s not quite ‘figured it all out’ enough yet for him to be willing to act on those feelings. Taylor has made the decision to keep the friendship rather than choosing to act before he is fully ready, while he is in a place of confusion, which could potentially ruin the friendship if things go south between them. Taylor knows he is probably gay (and maybe that’s why he seems so emotionally unaffected by his breakup with his ex-girlfriend) and Jesse seems to know that Taylor is probably gay, but Jesse is trying to give Taylor the time and space he needs to figure things out. There is a healthy respect and understanding between the two friends that feels very real.
Taylor and Jesse go and find Alex who is now taking photos by the waterfront. They head towards the car and as they are getting in Taylor pauses as if he wants to say something, but he holds back, perhaps conflicted. The trio drive home through ‘golden hour’. No-one speaks as all three look pensive, lost in silent thought as they contemplate their day and their journey in life.
This short film doesn’t need a lot of action or heavy dialogue to make it enjoyable. There is a lot of meaning observable in what is said and what is not said. The close bond between the three of them feels very natural as if the friendships and relationships are real beyond just the film. Taylor having been in a relationship with a girl is now at a crossroads in his journey into his sexuality, and while Jesse is further along in his own journey, Taylor is the object of his affection and he can’t have him just yet, if at all.
Favourite Quote:
“Get any good ones?” - Jesse
“I think so. Maybe just one. Lots of squirrels and bunnies too!” - Alex
Tone: Chill
Score: 8/10
Other Observations:
When the boys are alone talking in the park, Alex is hiding in the grass at a distance behind the two boys (probably out of earshot) but zooms in with the camera to take a photo of them both. After the credits it shows a black and white image of this photo. When Alex is asked by Jesse whether she took any good photos, the photo she is referring to when she says “Maybe just one.” is this photo, I think.
When Taylor and Alex go to the supermarket to get snacks, Alex keeps loading up the shopping trolley with unhealthy snacks and Taylor keeps immediately putting them back on the shelf. I thought this was funny and felt like a very believable sibling dynamic - the older one reigning in the younger one!
The two boys are particularly restrained in their conversations, holding back on revealing the extent of the feelings they might have; with the younger Alex, who is wise beyond her years, recognising the connection between the two boys, which they won’t yet fully confront themselves.
Before they go to the park, Alex asks Taylor if Jesse is his boyfriend and then tells him that she thinks Jesse likes him. Later when Jesse asks Taylor if he has told her yet (probably meaning whether Taylor has come out to Alex), Taylor says she can figure it out…I think she may have done already!!!
There is also the potential that Taylor is actually straight and he just doesn’t want to hurt Jesse or their friendship too much by completely declining him, and that he would prefer it if Jesse moved on with the guy, Chris. But I get the feeling that Taylor isn’t uncomfortable with Jesse’s feelings - he’s more just unsure how he feels about them and what he actually feels in himself.
The friendship between Taylor and Jesse feels like it might one day develop into a relationship. Just now is not the right time - maybe after university!
Jesse is played by Brian Dare who also plays a small part in the short film Eden (2014) (which I will review at a later date).