COMMITTEE ANIMAL is playing at SBIFF (Santa Barbara International Film Festival), and I had the opportunity to see an early look – here’s my spoiler-free take:
COMMITTEE ANIMAL is a clever proof of concept short from Santa Barbara filmmaker Robert Redfield. The film blends elements of workplace comedies with THE GOOD PLACE and is mildly successful.
What works in the short is the concept. The idea of a workplace committee inventing life as a supply chain invites funny moments, especially around what happens to the dinosaurs. However, those laughs and cleverness run dry because of basic performances by the actors and a script that does not push the observational envelope the way Michael Schur would.
Still, you can see the potential if Redfield shopped COMMITTEE ANIMAL around and secured a bigger budget, some fun character actors, and a few writing touch-ups.
Final Thought: COMMITTEE ANIMAL has potential to “evolve” into something you won’t want to erase on your “Etch-A-Sketch.”
