SATISFACTION | Omeleto Comedy

Two women duel. Belinda and Verity are two aristocratic women living in Georgian England. They were formerly friends. But when Verity throws out a petty insult at a recent tea party, Belinda demands that the pair duel, due to her besmirched honor. Aided by their seconds, Belinda and Verity meet on a field with the dueling guns. The duels don't go as planned at first, but Belinda refuses to quit until she gains some level of satisfaction that she has defended her honor -- even if it results in her former friend's death. Directed by Bailey Tom Bailey, written by Christopher Buckley and supported by Centerframe and Iron Box Films, this mischievous, witty short comedy has a premise that has an inherent degree of tension and suspense built into it, focused as it is on a duel set in 18th-century England. But as it chronicles each relative mishap or delay, it satirizes ideas of pride, ego and honor even as it tightens the tension into an increasingly suspenseful showdown. The well-written narrative has a tight scope, keeping the action focused on the duel itself. Through biting, brittle dialogue, we get some clues about the reason for the duel, something that wounded Belinda's pride deeply. Much of the humor is found in the contrasts of the film, with the savage, petty concerns of the enemies contrasting against the genteel historical setting, lushly rendered in the set and costume design and the plush cinematography. (There are also a few choice insults in the dialogue, along the lines of "cantankerous hedgehog.") There's a crisp irony in the melodramatic musical score and how the combatants of the traditional male pursuit of the duel are women, bringing to the fore how ludicrous this ritualized display of pique and payback was to begin with. As Verity, actor Gwyneth Keyworth (a BAFTA Cymru nominee and the co-lead of new BBC series Death Valley with Timothy Spall) offers a comically expressive performance, mostly laughing off the duel as a lark and not taking Belinda's offense seriously. She's a vain, silly character, a stark contrast to actor Ellie Gallimore's gravitas as Belinda, who she plays with a steely, stoic determination for justice. As the duel proceeds, Belinda doesn't waver from her purpose, but Verity slowly realizes just how serious Belinda is about obtaining "satisfaction" -- and must come to take her seriously before she loses her life. Subversive, well-made and smart, SATISFACTION employs sharp wit and period-accurate aesthetics to barrel down to a compelling, dramatic conclusion, one where Verity must take accountability. For all the ego and bluster, Verity's true offense is laughing off Belinda's grievances to begin with. Only when she fears for her life and finally acknowledges Belinda's hurt feelings does Verity find relief and release -- and offers Belinda the satisfaction she has fought hard for. SATISFACTION. Courtesy of Bailey Tom Bailey at https://baileytombailey.com.