Total Performance

Rated: Not Rated

       We’ve all been there. A situation so hard and awkward that we obsess over it for days, wishing there were some sort of a test run we could do beforehand. Whether it’s breaking up with a significant other, firing someone at work, or discussing difficult topics with family members, it seems that no matter how many times we play the different scenarios over in our heads they never seem to go according to plan.
 
        But what if things didn’t have to be this way? What if there were a company you could go to in your hour of need to practice run all of the situations I just mentioned, and anything else you could imagine?  Such is the premise for Cross River Pictures and Sean Meehan’s short film,
Total Performance.
 
        In the film, the company Total Performance employs actors to stand in as people rehearse their difficult situations. Cori, a Total Performance employee and actress, has just started dating Tim. Things seem to be going well, until an unexpected phone call to the company forces both Tim and Cori to question what comes next.
Cori and Tim feel the weight of their situation in Total Performance (Photo courtesy of Timothy J. Cox)

Cori and Tim feel the weight of their situation in Total Performance (Photo courtesy of Timothy J. Cox)

 
        The film is an interesting take on how people handle difficult situations. Although no follow up is shown or given, you’re left wondering if these practice sessions have actually helped people deal with their own difficult situations, or if no amount of practice could ever really help.  I tend to lean to the “no amount of practice can help” side, as life, and the people in it, are too unpredictable. Sure, Cori could be given all relevant background info beforehand to help her prepare to stand in as your wife or girlfriend or whoever, but she is a different person with different life experiences, making her reactions to your news different than the person she’s standing in for.
 
        Although neither of the leads in the film have very deep acting credits yet, their relative inexperience didn’t seem to be an issue. Tory Berner, as Cori, handled carrying the film on her shoulders remarkably well. She moves from anxious, to serious, to light hearted and back as effortlessly as (if not better than) many industry vets. She and costar Steven Conroy portrayed a relatability that made it easy to believe they’re no different in real life than they are onscreen, which is something numerous stars struggle with their entire careers.
An argument or a rehearsal? find out in Total Performance (Photo courtesy of Timothy J. Cox)

An argument or a rehearsal? find out in Total Performance (Photo courtesy of Timothy J. Cox)

 
        Sean Meehan has created a short film to be proud of in
Total Performance. The film is a unique take on an issue we all go through. Sean Penn is quoted as saying, “When everything gets answered, it's fake,” and I think therein lies the greatness of this little film. There’s enough mystery left in the end to pique our curiosity and hold our attention, while ensuring that the story is still believable, and that is quite the achievement.

       
Total Performance is not rated, was written and directed by Sean Meehan and stars Tory Berner and Steven Conroy. More information about Total Performance, Sean Meehan and Cross River Pictures can be found here:

  • Total Performance on Vimeo
  • Total Performance on IMDB