It's All Too Familiar - How To Tell When A Relationship Is Over (2003)

Shorts films and ‘mini-masterpieces’ are becoming quite popular with me at the moment as I have previously written, so I thought for a change I would talk about one that we all saw and I enjoyed for its simple, clever humour. A ninety second feature created by Tony Roche called How To Tell When A Relationship Is Over.

When every relationship is coming to a dreadful end, there are some simple tell-tale signs and How To Tell When A Relationship Is Over portrays them. The film shows Roche’s seven different observations of how what happens to relationships at the bitter end.

1.You Find The Other Person Annoying.
2.You Get A List Of All Your Faults.
3.You Try To Get The Magic Back.
4.Some Things Don’t Seem To Make Sense.
5.You Find A Dead Pigeon.
6.You Feel Like You’re In A French Film.
7.The Other Person Isn’t There Anymore.

The scenario is simple – a static shot of two people at a kitchen table portraying there final stages of there relationship in about five to fifteen seconds.

The script and simple acting are the thing that brings this simple short to life. First of all, Julian Barratt, who plays 'Him' in the short, is just acting like himself, a trying, push over, gets his quite character just right, questioning his soon to be ex to why she is kissing another man, apparently its a gay thing...??? The script is simple, taking a familiar topic, with its seven easy opinions on the topic and twisting them into opposite, quick, comic humour.

The film was apparently made in a day in Roche's kitchen, with a budget of £40 and has won a few awards around the world. Its so simple and easy to do! It has annoyed me that I have not been writting in this style for such a long time, so it's back to the drawing board to try and write short.

“Boy Meets Girl. Boy Gets Girl. Girl Gets Sick Of Boy. Boy Gets Sick Of Girl. Big Fight. The End.”

For The Short Film - www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/A9370028