Successful directors can take a strong vision and see it through to completion. If the story and characters are important enough to them, it becomes immediately evident in the finished product. No element lacks in devotion and care, and each enhances the next. A perfect example: The Tough Ones, a short film written and directed by Konish Dutta.
While home for Thanksgiving, personal trainer Adam (Michael King) discovers his fifteen-year-old brother Gary (Casey Adler) being bullied at school. Middle brother Vince (Gary Iacobucci) rushes to Gary’s defense, but Adam intervenes, arguing that Gary must learn to stand up for himself. Adam pushes Gary further and further, and it’s only when the three brothers end up lost in a forest that Adam realizes that everyone has a breaking point.
The brothers are fleshed-out and real, and their actions are motivated by emotions the audience can easily relate to. It is amazing that three intricate human beings can both be introduced and grow in a mere fifteen minutes, but Dutta and his actors manage to do just that without overwhelming the audience or slowing down the pace of the film. King’s Adam is relentless and severe, but its obvious that his tough love is, in fact, based in devotion to his family. Iacobucci makes for a cocky and sometimes irritating Vince, while still retaining an endearing compassion toward Gary that makes him impossible to truly dislike. Adler gives the youngest brother an initial submissiveness that gradually turns into strength and independence. The relationship among the brothers changes as their circumstances become more dire, but their core personalities remain the same. This relationship is so authentic that it comes as little surprise that Dutta himself is the oldest of three brothers.
Taking his responsibilities beyond those of many directors, Dutta assisted editor Darren Virtue and sound designer Catherine McGourty in many aspects of postproduction. He even tackled the daunting task of scoring the film. Music is used sparingly so as to emphasize the naturalistic feel of such an earthy setting, but Dutta drops it in during a few appropriate moments to underscore the melancholy of the situation and to foreshadow the events to come.
Dutta’s collaboration with cinematographer Taylor Mahony is most notable. Every shot was meticulously planned, placing the audience alternately close enough to experience the growing tension and far away to emphasize the emotional disconnect between the brothers. The very last shot in particular is haunting in a way that the viewer will never forget, not necessarily for what is happening within the frame, but for the way in which the camera accentuates the action. This is the only film I have seen where the cinematographer is credited alongside the director - a true testament to the significance of Mahony’s contributions.
It is certain that Dutta will continue to pursue his passion for filmmaking, and if his most recent project is any indication, he’s off to a promising start. The Tough Ones is an emotional journey - it’s simultaneously hopeful, inspirational, funny, and sad. It is also a prime example of dedicated technical craftsmanship. For these reasons and more, The Tough Ones would indeed be a “tough one” to miss.
