Love Lost, Latex Found, Vengeance Delivered

Read Time:5 Minute, 2 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Doll It Up
–

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Short
Year Released: 2018
Runtime: 6m
Director(s): Yalan Hu
Writer(s): Yalan Hu
Cast: Timothy J. Cox, Devin Craig, Wayne DeBary, Jeff Mandel
Where to Watch: available on Vimeo now

RAVING REVIEW: Not every short film goes big, but when one does and remains on its feet, it's a project worth mentioning. With a sharp eye for irony and an otherwise off-the-beaten-path concept, this six-minute film doesn't just set out to elicit giggles—it raises real questions about control, emotional intimacy, and the hollow quest for the romantic ideal. What starts as a ridiculous setup turns into something stranger and wittier than expected without overstaying its welcome.

But at the center of the narrative is Gunther, played by Timothy J. Cox, a man who has an entire life around his “plastic wife.” He's been married to Natalie, a sex doll who has begun to lose her charm both figuratively and literally, for three years. Gunther's solution: replace her with an updated version. This decision sparks surreal events that blend sardonic wit with restrained satire, eventually leading Gunther into a whirlwind of disappointment, jealousy, and an identity crisis in latex.

Cox's performance provides the core of the short. His portrayal of Gunther plays it straight, and the absurd premise feels oddly down-to-earth. That commitment to emotional truth-even when the rest of the world is not-that—makes the movie surprisingly profound. Watching Cox navigate scenes with a lifeless doll as a realized romantic prospect should be absurd. And it is—but it also registers with some bizarre emotional resonance. There's something sad about how sincere it is, even when the situation descends into pandemonium.

The film eschews exposition and long dialogue and relies on visual storytelling. The dolls never speak, but they don’t need to. Their faces remain static, but with trick editing and selective framing, the film tricks the viewer into believing they feel something—disapproval, disappointment, even betrayal. Gunther's responses and actions serve to fill in the blanks. The result is a story that tells much without saying it, a trick useful when time is of the essence.

There is a subtextual comment on modern relationships underlying the humor. Far from relying on shock value, the short satirizes the expectation of perfection in romantic partners, especially when perfection is gauged by obedience, silence, and the capacity to be replaced. The sex dolls are not characters; they are projections of Gunther's fantasies and fears. When the new model fails to perform as hoped, he's not heartbroken because she betrayed him, but because she did not act in his fantasy role.

The short doesn't overexplain itself, which is one of its strengths. It has faith in the viewer to get what it's trying to say without being explicitly spelled out. That being said, there are a couple of places where things feel a tad underdeveloped. There is an entire world, and more background or interaction we never see, leaving us with a hole in the story that feels like a lost chance. It's not annoying, but it's noticed.

Similarly, the tonal change in the final scene is abrupt. The film races quickly from somber brooding to chaos. For some, that abrupt transition will be a punchline ending. For others, the movie undermines its strongest moments.

The film does not try to establish a world beyond Gunther, and that tight framing is in its favor. It's not a giant ensemble or deep character development. It's one guy, and how he can't understand emotional vulnerability. Under those constraints, the short accomplishes a lot. The concept easily would have been a cheap joke, but direction makes it grounded, balancing surrealism with enough authenticity so the satire succeeds.

Hu's control of tone and time plays comfortably off this, knowing when to commit to all-out on the humor and when to let discomfort speak. The decisions are intentional, from the restrained acting to the stylized production design. It is all within a world where absurdity and reality are hand in hand—and where love might be another product people try to buy, upgrade, and discard.

In the end, it's a short surprise. It's humorous, yes, but also somewhat tragic. It's offbeat but never unguided. Although it doesn't provide all the answers it asks, that vagueness is part of the appeal. It forces the viewer to examine something absurd and consider how close it gets to reality. That's greater than a punchline—it's a shift in perspective.

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[photo courtesy of FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS]

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