Dismissal Time Review: What’s Done in the Dark will come to Light!

Logline
Dismissal Time is about TK Clark, who is victimized by vicious high school bullies, and an administration that wants to sweep it under the rug.

Introduction
Dismissal Time is a short film that explores high school bullying. It focuses on a high school teenager, and the bullying he suffers daily at school. It shows, a school administration, that turns a blind eye, despite clear indications to the bullying, and ignores this issue so much, that a bullied teen attempts suicide. Dismissal Time is a film from award-winning Writer and Director André Joseph (Vendetta Games, The Saxophonist). André presents a story inspired by real-life events, that takes on the intense subjects of bullying, racism, and social injustice.

Review
The social issues of racism, bullying, suicide and tie together in Andre’s narrative. He structures the story to allow the audience to empathize with T.K.’s character who represents innocent victims who suffered, and are suffering at the hands of bullies. His mental state is epitomized in his action to escape the bullish prison of his school, by choosing suicide. It is also remarkable to watch the narrative dive into the psyche of school administration. A rare insight.

The narrative quantifies the “collective conscious” of the world inside the film, allowing the audience to judge what is right from what is wrong. The empathy of Vance, our champion, the neglect of the school administration, the result of the suicide, all tie together as a protest to give the audience a personal feeling of this deeply concerning issue. A good job well done for content. However, Dismissal Time falls short of being a great picture, because some of the external shots call attention to themselves. It also fails to establish the main character early, though it does so effectively, but only later. It also does a good job to create isolation around the champion and the victim. He established intrusion thoughtfully, from the characters of the bullies, and has good direction generally.

Conclusion
Andre explores the use of film as both an entertainment and educative medium. He reaches deep for non-commercial avenues to talk about social issues of bullying, suicide, racism, and neglect of school district administrations. Dismissal Time approaches these issues in a blunt, but fictional way, its effectiveness is revealed first hand. It is raw, direct, blunt and deliberate. It does not shy away from its premise.

Writer & Directed: André Joseph

Cast
Lisa Regina as Vance
Troy Sill as Thompson
Oliver Feaster as T.K.
Jay Pastelak as Deacon
Kat Walsh as Simonson
Sarah Dolhansky as Chantelle
Kayla Minore as Candice
Isaiah Faircloth as Larry
Denise Spaulding as T.K.’s Mom
Dave Goodman as T.K.’s Dad
Chris Corulla, Jr. as Platt

Music: Matthew Hackett, Konstantin Soukhovetski
Executive Producer: Lisa Regina
Associate Producer: Chris Galassi, Nancy Martignetti
Cinematography: Greg Lassik of Endless Wave Productions
Producer: André Joseph

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