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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Writer-director and stills photographer Scottie Cameron’s Officer Stanley premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend. As my fifth film screening for the event, this seven-minute comedy-drama short is almost illustrated as a satire of what is happening in the Western world today. The short is, well… short, yet it also speaks volumes about how people—in this case, men—in high positions of appointed power tend to see themselves.
In this article, I will review Scottie Cameron’s Officer Stanley. As the title suggests, there will be no spoilers here.
Officer Stanley Synopsis (Tribeca)
According to filmmaker Scottie Cameron, here is the logline for Officer Stanley.
Scottie Cameron, Tribeca Film Festival 2024
Officer Stanley tells the tale of a policeman who embarrsesses himself on the job and gets wound up in a string of lies and confusion to cover up the situation.
Discussion
Scottie Cameron assembles this Tribeca short finely just from his screenwriting, art direction, and the overall direction of the entire narrative. The sole set piece of what appears to be a back alleyway is enough for this small motion picture insofar as around half a thousand words could sum it up. The placement of dumpsters and boots are physical representations of the comedy at play, with Cameron playing with words for passersby to misunderstand in dialogue. Like his prior short, El Portafolio (or The Case), Cameron paints an entrancing mystery whose otherwise necessary solution is irrelevant to the plot.
Cinematographer Ryan Carmody captures Officer Stanley (Jimmi Simpson) at a low point in his life, even when he believes it to be a high point. Viewers are shown images of the title character messing about while on the job. Editor Joe Peeler then excellently cuts shots of the officer dropping his gun as if it truly is his first day in the uniform. What follows this feels like an interesting mixture of teenage Ted Stroehmann in the Farrelly Brothers’ There’s Something About Mary and a typical “lost in translation” scene from an Austin Powers movie. The roundup of Cameron’s characters surrounding the character looks like the midst of a music video with its stylish aesthetic and colorful costumes.
Drop Your Weapon!
What feels surreal about this short is the amount of truth it holds. Watching Officer Stanley fumble so badly serves as a reminder of the myriad tales of United States cops finding themselves in dull-witted circumstances. One more recent moment of a police officer having gone viral on the Internet was when a police officer mistook a fallen acorn for a gunshot. Parts of the imagery in Cameron’s short match that of the viral footage, in which a supposed enforcer of the law aims his weapon at open space. Fortunately, no one gets physically hurt in this short. Instead, the pain comes in catching secondhand embarrassment from the main character.
Warner Chappell’s music supervision is also what contributes to the theme of law enforcers screwing up. The inclusion of Ace of Base and Mattiel’s music suggests that Stanley is cowardly. Yet, in actuality, he is expected to be fearless. More so, their two tracks are rather straightforward in terms of messaging. This also plays into the fact that the character must face the music—either he can speak up about his mistakes or he can lie to others about what is going on. In doing the latter, he can make himself look good in the eyes of the public, and what cop doesn’t want that… right?
The Crew Behind Officer Stanley
Ryan Carmody serves as the director of photography. Joe Peeler serves as the editor.
Bobak Lotifpour (The Case, or El Portafolio) scores original music for the short. Warner Chappell serves as the music supervisor.
Scottie Cameron serves as the art director. Amiee Byrne and Callan Stokes are the costume designers.
Alix Youngblood is the key makeup & hairstylist. Emma Caughman is the hair & makeup assistant.
The Cast of Officer Stanley
Jimmi Simpson (D.E.B.S., Stay Alive, House of Cards, Westworld, Black Mirror, Pachinko, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Starling Girl) portrays the titular role of Officer Stanley.
Matt Walsh (The Hangover, Community, Veep, Manhunt) plays a man named Brian. Jodi Balfour plays a woman named Maria.
Alma Martinez (The Case, or El Portafolio) portrays a woman named Maria. Juan Carlos Cantu (The Case, or El Portafolio) portrays a man named Jorge. Ross Harris plays a mechanic.
Kendall Johnson plays Officer Reed.
Filmmaker and producer Scottie Cameron portrays Paramedic J. Elliott. Producer Abbi Jacobson (Broad City, BoJack Horseman, Disenchantment, A League of Their Own) portrays Paramedic W. Rist.
Cass Buggé plays a voice on the police station radio.
Teri Ruiz portrays a suspect.
Jimmi Simpson’s Performance and Character Development
As the protagonist of the short, Jimmi Simpson plays the role well. The actor’s performance is unlike what I have seen in Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy’s Westworld along with Black Mirror‘s “USS Callister”. Stanley is a clumsy type of individual, but he also does not seem like the person to make wise decisions. As an officer, he is quick to react and too slow to make assessments of his situation. On that matter, I would say the civilians have more power over him. Moreover, they evidently have stronger communication skills, just from how things turn out in the end. Through Simpson’s performance, Stanley handles these matters in the usual slapstick manner that audiences all know and love.
Final Thoughts on Officer Stanley
Scottie Cameron’s short film is dramatic at first. However, once Stanley slips up, the story takes a turn for the worse (but funnier for everyone else). Costume designers Amiee Byrne and Callan Stokes, as well as makeup and hair crew Alix Youngblood and Emma Caughman do a nice job of turning characters into unique figures. Every character looks as if they belong in a game of Guess Who? making it all the more challenging for Stanley to feign a profile on a suspect. There could be more to say here, but the filmmaker only allots several minutes, including the end credits. Overall, Officer Stanley is an entertaining comedy short worthy of every second!
5/5 stars
Scottie Cameron’s Officer Stanley is now screening at the Tribeca Film Festival!
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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
