‘Bedsheets & Cigarettes’ is a movie that catches the depths of a relationship that is soon to perish, without dealing with the sick crazy transition in the characters' lives. It presents the story of a couple who have been together for many years in a mutually abusive relationship that reaches a turning point where they cope with the sins of their past. Even though it sounds harsh, the whole story is not presented that dark. The score and the background come in handy and transform this plot into a romantic-decadent manner.

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Speaking of romance, the score is the fundament of this spectre in ‘Bedsheets & Cigarettes’. The mood was very different based only on the dialogue, and the whole action would have gone on a different path if it wasn’t for this superb score. Looking back, it had that Spanish feel we are looking forward in movies involving true, deep love.

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Dealing with love in any form, this short was prone to clichés and it brought some in the whole thirteen minute escapade. First of all, the story seems to be a juxtaposition of love songs titles without the music and with alternate video :“kiss me before you go”, “cigarettes and alcohol”, “crack love”, “stay”, “don’t leave me (without saying goodbye)” and the list can go on. Also, the transitions between the scenes may seem a little bit brutal for some viewers and here is why when you deal with delicate subjects like love (in any form), the transition and the narrative should be mellow. It is true, there are surrealist points of view that can divert the story and project it in a whole new way, but this is not the case.

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For a short that removes the cinematic effects and foregrounds a story in a reality, ‘Bedsheets & Cigarettes’ has what it takes. The “fight” between the two lovers is seen more as a tango dance where each of the partners has to infer the other's moves, so the dance will go on naturally.

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Written by Vlad A. G