Self Help

I really wanted to love this one, since "Fight Club" is one of my all-time favorites. Unfortunately there were too many dodgy editing choices to distract me. Not to say that the editing was bad, but it definitely needed more finesse and care. And the overall narrative didn't quite work for me. The way I approach these shorts when I watch them is "Does this make sense if I've never seen the original?" and for this one there are way too many holes and unanswered questions. Cuddly did a good job at telling their overall story, but there were too many things left out to make this it's own neat package. For example, we needed to see "Jack" with Marla at the restaurant after his revelation, which leads to him putting her on a bus for her safety. Without that, we see Marla being dragged off a bus in the finale and her yelling about why he put her on a bus, and it's just very obvious there is more to the story that needed to be seen.

Cuddly details a classic triangle. A girl, a man, and the man's alter-ego.
The jagged relationship between Marla and Tylers in "Fight Club."
This crackles from the onset with the opposites attract trope.
Then, for a chunk of time, Marla disappears.
Instead of a short, this feels more like a series of fragments.
I wish cuddly had made different choices to enhance the continuity. As this is, this is a bit messy.
Sound is not always clear, either, and dialogue suffers.
Part of this is cuddly's fault. Guys helming this particular Consecution antho bear some responsibility, as well, in not exercising enough editorial control and providing feedback.
If you honchos in charge did try to advise cuddles, my apologies.