DVD Goodbye, Little Betty

Goodbye, Little Betty could have been, in the wrong hands, a disaster. A silent film, without even a musical soundtrack and shot in a sepia / monochrome wash, needs to be extremely competent to grip its viewer. Thankfully, this extended short manages to captivate with its mysterious air and the excellent performance of the lovely Daniela Melin.

This could be seen as a companion piece to the director's earlier short, Récompence. Both films have similarities but Goodbye, Little Betty is a more accomplished project. Having already seen the previous short film, I'd second guessed the direction of this latest piece but the film's all about atmosphere. The plot is secondary to the visuals and cinematography.

Haunting, poetic and beautiful, Goodbye is a welcome change. Director Ronny Carlsson never misses an opportunity to shoot nature at its most stunning and every shot is gorgeously composed.

An experimental indie film that I'd recommend, this won't appeal to everyone but it's worthy of a viewing. Carlsson has talent and I'm sure there will be bigger, bolder and better movies in the future from this interesting filmmaker.