Jon Ryan Sugimoto tells a modern-day parable in his dramatic short film, Full Time. College graduation is over, and Michael (Andrew Lutheran) has his entire life before him. Flanked by his two friends, Michael’s first instinct is to go skateboarding in the park. But, as the trio reflects on their future, a man (Iddo Goldberg) approaches and asks them if anyone wants to earn some easy cash. Michael is quick to volunteer.
The man takes Michael to a square on the sidewalk. He just needs to stand in that square until 5:30 pm, and he’ll earn $50. That’s what he did. He just stood there and, at 5:30, got his $50. Seeing what a fine job he did, Michael is offered a full-time job to stand in that square.
The comparisons are clear as writer/director Sugimoto likens life in the box to the day-to-day tedium of the 9-to-5 job. As Michael stands in the box, he watches his life pass by and his friends leave him behind for some fun. Soon Michael gets promoted to a square with a better view.
“He just needs to stand in that square until 5:30 pm, and he’ll earn $50.”
As a movie, Full Time is fun to watch. It looks professional from the sound, music, and cinematography. Storey lets the cast tell the story well with what little dialogue they have. In addition, the ending has a hilarious button to end it all on.
As the old man in the room, when I think about the short, part of me wants to criticize the short for being too simplistic. I mean, if you want to live a full life, you need a job to pay for it. But, then again, that office job was going nowhere, and I ultimately had to leap out the window for sanity’s sake.
Full Time is a fantastic movie that goes beyond a straightforward narrative, giving you an aspect of life to chew on and think about long after it ends.
For more information about Full Time, visit Jon Ryan Sugimoto’s official website.
