WALTER’S WAY: A Short Film That Exams Mortality, Determination & Acceptance

Mortality and its impending arrival is a fear that rattles many. Our way of coping with the inevitable future, and the milestones that lead up to it, vary by person. Our struggles, our sacrifices and our compromises with life do not match those around us, sometimes similar, but all too personal to compare. We each stare down the barrel of finite time on earth, and it is the connection with those things that make us feel alive that cut the deepest when it is time to let go.

Unrelenting circle of determination and defeat

In Walter’s Way, by director and writer Tom Gigliotti, viewers are introduced to Walter (Lubomir Mykytiuk) as he is dressing for the day. The stress of his impending road test coupled by his shaking hands, alluding themselves to a deeper struggle than appears on the surface, make even the simplest task impossible. He gives up on his tie, the first sign of the compromises and acceptance he is facing at this point in his life. Longingly, he look at the sports car model on his desk, the simple closeup shot speaking more about what has passed than what is right in front of us.

Walter is ready for a fight, the fight against mortality and fragility. Having lost his license some time earlier, he displays unrelenting determination and he continues to repeat his attempts to re-obtaining it. Frustrated and nervous, he continually tries, each time met with defeat. The shaking of his hands is an automatic denial, though the company, and friend of the family, shows compassion by continually administering the test – even when defeat is inevitable.

A Muhammad Ali vs Age

Walter is constantly reciting “Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, accompanied by air boxing. Walter is a fighter, not one to easily give up. He is the underdog in the fight of life, favored to lose the battle. Yet, the inevitability of loss does not stop him from trying – again and again and again. He is hoping to come out the unlikely victor.

It is a heartwarming and touching story, and this constant battle of being an underdog coupled with unrelenting determination is something we can all relate to. It is a sad moment when Walter has to accept his new status in life and the limitations he must now face. Even sadder when the items that remind him of the past are the material aspects he must part with to completely move on.

It was most impressive that the strong sense of story, depth of Walter’s character and emotional connection were conveyed, as the technical aspects of the film were left wanting. The dialogue of Walter’s Way was on the weaker side, the short resting on the beautifully composed shots and the performance of Walter. I wonder how the short would have turned out if it had been accompanied with a stronger script, especially for its supporting cast. Viewers connect with Walter visually, rather than by words spoken on the screen.

The acting itself was rigid and awkward, as though the actors behind the characters (specifically the daughter and friend) were uncomfortable with the roles they had been cast to play. Though, it must be noted, this rigidity heightens the circumstances surrounding Walter and the acceptance of time. They are unsure what to say to him, how to ease the suffering of acceptance or how to (or if they should) break the cycle of determination. While the performances do detract from Walter, it does not sink the short, rather an added flaw that fortunately works to the film’s favor.

Conclusion

Even with its shortcomings, Walter’s Way depicts a truth we all must face one day – one that cuts deep in the subconscious fear that most of us keep hidden until we are forced to face it. The story is one you will find relatable, even if some of its execution is flawed.