How exactly does one tackle the heavy subject matter of coping with the loss of a loved one? There is no proper answer, because as challenging as it is, there are multiple ways to handle the message. What matters most of all is how earnest you are in terms of your topic as a whole.
In the case of If Anything Happens I Love You, actors/filmmakers Will McCormack and Michael Govier took the risk of painting a portrait of a tragedy through gun violence.
The result is nothing short of emotionally resonative, as they chose the brilliant art form of animation to communicate their themes of depression and memorabilia through effective body acting and a gritty color palette. Every artistic choice done for this film gives off the necessary effect of trauma that can come from the terrible news one can receive from losing someone close to them. Given that the film is shown from the POV of a husband and wife who have grown further apart from a horrific occurrence in their own lives, their shadow figures and lighting contrasts convey all their inner emotions better than any dialogue ever could. The somber score by Lindsay Marcus also lets each scene speak for itself through subtle harmonics to let the visuals speak more.
However, I think what makes this short twice as effective now is that it was released in the year of 2020. In this year of global viruses, death of innocent civilians happening more and more, and people growing more and more paranoid, this film comes off as a bold statement on how those who have been hurt the most. We always hear about tragedies and downfalls of people from unnecessary violence or outbreaks, but rarely do we actually see how individuals have been affected by the outcomes in the long run. It is more important now than ever to really listen and see what those who have struggled coping with the loss of someone they care for, whether you live in the United States or anywhere else. Sometimes, seeing something with your own eyes through art is the better way to understand how others may end up feeling from losing someone they care for than written words or articles.
If you have Netflix, there is absolutely no reason to skip out on this film. Sure, it may be short, but it conveys so much more than if it were a feature. Clarity through metaphorical storytelling is what makes these serious issues worth hearing out over all.
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