Review: I Love Sarah Jane (2008)

Sarah (Mia Wasikowska) and Jimbo (Brad Ashby).

Directed by Spencer Susser
Produced by Angie Fielder
Written by David Micôd and Spencer Susser

Starring Brad Ashby, Mia Wasikowska, Vladimir Matovic, Beau South, Peter Yacoub, and Richard Mueck

***1/2

This Australian short film is primarily known for starring Mia Wasikowska before she landed roles in films like The Kids Are All Right, Alice in Wonderland, and Jane Eyre. Consisting of mostly child actors, this story is set during a zombie apocalypse, which has destroyed the city and forced the teenagers to band together. Jimbo (Ashby), a 13-year-old boy, is smitten with Sarah Jane (Wasikowska), who lives in her parents' house, with a group of boys always nearby. He spends a brief moment with her, but the boys are holding a zombie captive outside. While Jimbo is very timid, Sarah must be strong for them all when something goes wrong with the prisoner.

The film is shot with low-budget grittiness and takes an interesting approach to zombie fare. Most of the boys are violent and ill-tempered, demonstrating it with their treatment of the zombie. Rather than simply killing it, they taunt it, which is quite striking to see teenagers do in a graphic zombie story. Of course, the script was co-written by the writer/director of Animal Kingdom with the writer/director of Hesher. So, their styles are visible in this little movie. There isn't much for the actors to do, but they are good in their roles. Wasikowska, not surprisingly, gives the film's best performance, highlighting Sarah's frustration, grief, and strength in less than 10 minutes on screen. Some short film narratives can feel too thin, but I actually wanted more of these characters. Granted, a feature might've stretched the concept too much. As it is, the film is a small triumph, even getting shown on IFC a few years ago. For fans of Wasikowska or zombie movies, I'd definitely recommend it.

Oscar Tally: None

You can watch the film for free on Vimeo or YouTube.