To Have and to Hold (2001) User Reviews (5)

dilemma in a short film

[mj_togher · 7/10 · 18 December 2005]

Difficult to write a long review about a short film, but hell I'll have a go.

It's a two person short movie, set entirely in a remote forest. A man and a woman are driving along, they are in love, and making the sort of conversation we all do when we are alone together. He annoys her and she snaps at him, he is upset and tries to make up with her. They touch hands , then grip each other's hand. Thew whole making up thing however, means she isn't concentrating on the driving and suddenly a deer pops up, and she has to swerve to miss it.

The movie the concentrates on aftermath of the crash, and a dilemma faced by one of the characters.

I enjoyed it, difficult to build up tension and drama in a short film, and I think the director achieved that.

Very creepy and effective little film

[chrstphrolson · 16 October 2001]

I saw this excellent short film a few months back on the Sci-Fi channel program, Exposure, and I still can't get it out of my head.

Basic premise: a man and a woman are driving through the English countryside. They hold hands and gaze lovingly at one another. Suddenly they collide with a tree. The woman regains consciousness and discovers that the man has died...and that his hand has closed around hers in a death-grip leaving her effectively trapped.

The film is at times both disturbing and hauntingly beautiful. The woman's predicament and her eventual solution is frighteningly heartbreaking. If you ever get a chance to see this short film, I highly recommend it.

even if praised .. an unnecessary view

[eve_lyn · 1/10 · 11 November 2007]

Powerful message presented in an extremely useless form. It feels like in the end all the film ever wants is to shock! I am sorry for having seen it. ..it goes right there on the same "shelf" with Suicide Club.(Truth be told ..I threw them away) It is disappointing and sad to see money/acting/time spent on films like these. If someone would compare the "subject" with Saw (the first part) - I would have to say that Saw made a strong statement into defining what "being human is all about" and about true love and "human limits"...blah blah ..but this short film is simply Unnecessary. I would be really curious to see other work by the scriptwriter and by the director..really really curious!..

Gory little short

[bob the moo · 31 May 2002]

A boyfriend and girlfriend are driving through a country road holding hands when the vehicle swerves off the road and crashes. The woman comes to the next day to find her boyfriend has died and rigor mortis has set in – freezing her hand in a vice like grip around hers. As the days pass she weights her options for escape.

This is an example of a short that is a little too long. This short almost lasts too long and has too much of a gap between the action at the start and at the end. The silence is good though because it gives you time to sympathise with the lady's situation. The end is gory and really hard to watch but it's good if you like that.

However you can't help feel that it's too light and perhaps needed more substance to it. It is very much a one trick pony and, even at 10 minutes, manages to have plot holes (the battery goes dead but then is ok again the next day!). However it is quite powerful despite that.

Overall it's worth watching once but is too one dimensional to stand up to repeat viewings.

tit for tat

[jackkail · 4/10 · 7 December 2018]

I thought this short film was a brilliant crack at directing but although it had a good story and well planned acting there was very sloppy effects i.e. after the crash there where a few details that did not make sense. no airbags where are they? surely if you crashed you would have airbags to stop you from headbutting the steering wheel? also very minimal damage to the exterior of the car. I like this film its just a film I would not recommend. very good for school lessons.