Review of American Fishtrap

If like me you don't often watch short films let alone Westerns, you should find yourself charmed by this debut from Chasen Parker. It packs a lot in it's running time moved along by gorgeous settings, scenery and a well judged score. The story starts simple enough with 2 brothers returning home after the civil war but before they even have time to rest they discover Marcus's wife Rose is missing and being held to ransom. Already woven into the theme is how they treat people of colour - and it's not a pretty sight. It made me feel quite uncomfortable and quickly led to me sympathasise with some characters more than others - especially their slave Leon. Their journey to rescue Rose moves along fairly quickly but is not uneventful with twists and turns on the way. This story has a lot of heart, great performances - including the director himself - playing a character assuredly much older than his true years - leading to a satisfying twist at the end. I wanted something different and interesting to watch and this hit the mark for me.