In London’s gritty underbelly, Jayce, a luckless thug with a heart of gold, must retrieve his boss’s dog, Diesel, who unknowingly carries a secret that could save a life. As Diesel becomes bait in a chaotic chase through the city’s labyrinth of underground tunnels, Jayce navigates deceit, betrayal, and comedic mishaps in a madcap adventure. The race is on to see who will get Diesel first.
Review by Julie C. Sheppard:
Chasing Diesel is a UK short that offers edgy, cheeky entertainment from start to finish. The murky lighting, mostly in small rooms and cavernous passageways outside a castle-like structure serves the plot – – thugs strive to retrieve a valuable dog named Diesel.
The coarse but witty banter of the screenplay allows for developing allegiances between characters, particularly the rather kind-hearted duo of a thief and his kidnapper. At times, the piece has a film noir feel to it as shady negotiations go on between criminals and at other moments there is an atmosphere of a head-to-head western, complete with harmonica and heavy country refrains.
Cinematography choices are fabulous, especially when following characters down the long hallways, and close-up eye only shots as if cast members are in a shoot out at the O.K. Corral. An entertained audience will more than likely draw a sigh of relief as justice is done, and the unlikely good guys dodge a bullet.
Festival Reviews 