A Dark Comedy That Feels Almost Too Real
MOVIE REVIEW
Out for Delivery
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Genre: Comedy, Drama, Short
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 16m
Director(s): Chelsea Christer
Writer(s): Chelsea Christer
Cast: Deanna Rooney, DeMorge Brown, Martin Starr
Where To Watch: shown at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival
RAVING REVIEW: Dark comedy and real life collide in an eerily familiar and refreshingly original way. This film takes a subject often shrouded in sorrow and spins it into something humorous yet profoundly insightful. It dissects the bureaucratic inefficiencies that plague modern systems, reminding us that even in our most important moments, we are still at the mercy of lost packages and unhelpful customer service representatives. At its core, this is an exploration of control—of life, of death, and of the things that slip through the cracks no matter how much we try to plan.
Joanna, a terminally ill woman who has come to terms with her fate, attempts to take control of her final hours by using the Death with Dignity Act. The only thing standing in her way is a simple delivery. It should be easy. But if there’s anything modern life has taught us, the smallest obstacles can become the biggest sources of frustration. The film turns Joanna’s logistical nightmare into an escalating comedic disaster, proving that sometimes, all we can do is laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Deanna Rooney delivers a standout performance as Joanna, balancing exhaustion, determination, and a dry wit that makes this reality hit just a little harder. Her ability to transition between comedic exasperation and moments of quiet reflection gives the film its emotional weight. While much of the humor comes from the absurdity of Joanna’s predicament, Rooney ensures that her character never becomes a caricature. There’s depth beneath the sarcasm, making her journey all the more compelling.
Martin Starr’s deadpan delivery as Mark, a funeral home worker whose unexpected presence shifts the film in a new direction thanks to his chemistry with Rooney, creates a natural and oddly comforting dynamic—their exchange offers the film’s sharpest moments, moving between humor and genuine introspection. What could have been a purely humorous relationship becomes much richer, offering a glimpse into the need for connection even in life’s hardest moments.
The film keeps things grounded visually, using simple but effective cinematography to enhance realism. The settings—a modest home, a cluttered van, and a quiet suburban neighborhood—make the humor feel organic. There’s no need for elaborate staging or flashy visuals; the comedy comes from the interactions, the timing, and the escalating series of complications Joanna faces.
It highlights how life’s most serious moments—especially those involving choice and autonomy—are usually tangled in bureaucracy. The absurdity is dialed up for comedic effect, but there’s a very real core to Joanna's frustration. Anyone who has ever been caught in the web of automated responses and nonsensical policies will recognize the reality beneath the satire.
If there’s any drawback, the short runtime leaves some elements unexplored. Joanna and Mark’s dynamic is so strong that it’s easy to imagine a longer version of this story, one that delves deeper into their pasts and how they ended up in this moment together. Fingers crossed because this could be an incredible feature film if handled correctly!
This film stays with you beyond its runtime, offering laughs and something to chew on long after. It’s a sharp, engaging, and unexpectedly touching look at the absurdity of modern life and the small moments of connection that can make it all worthwhile. Sometimes, the best way to make sense of life is to laugh at it—and this film makes sure you do exactly that.
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[photo courtesy of SESSION ZERO MEDIA]
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