The 2005 Oscar winning short film Wasp left me with a bad sting. Directed by Andrea Arnold, the film takes you into the lives of a poor, young, beat down baby-mama and her four children.
The entire film is one big reminder that not everyone who has a child is ready to be a parent, as is shown through Zoe, who is irresponsible, selfish and ultimately abandons her children for the majority of the movie. Yet, Arnold draws into question the meaning of love and marternal instincts that are naturally given to every mother.
Though Zoe does leave her daughters hungry and stranded outside of a bar, while she is inside hooking up with a mystery man from her past, the movie does open with a strange but interesting scene of Zoe running to her neighbors house and beating her while screaming “Don’t you ever fucking touch my children!” She also bolts out of mystery mans car while they are hooking up as soon as she hears her daughter call her name.
Its interesting to evaluate Zoe’s character because while we are meant to believe that she is a sort of white trash slut who just doesnt give a damn, it is clear that she is very young, and almost represents the new “Teen Mom” phase that America is currently going through, even though this movie is based in England.
The only part of Wasp that made me feel anything was through the acting, but that doesnt hide the fact that the story line is completely pointless. I understand Arnold wanted to just throw the viewer into the lives of this demented family but it really did not portray any sort of substance.
In the mist of it being Oscar season, I saw more talent in this years short film nominees than in this winner. It is truly mind-boggling to comprehend why it won.
