‘Micky Buttons’ hijacks your attention with his bowtie and grin. Played by writer and director J.D. Hughes, Micky is a relationship therapist who dances at the edge of manic and messiah. This is a short film that’s quirky, clever and just slightly unhinged in the best way.
The story unfolds with Jan (Natalie Amey), shellshocked and soft-spoken, sitting across from Micky in a session. She’s in the centre of a toxic relationship with Peter (played by Chaz Sutherland), he’s the kind of man who turns therapy into a game and responsibility into vapor. Their marriage is wrecked, and Peter doesn’t care.
Here’s where the film bends. What starts as a bizarre therapy session takes a darker route. Micky decides he’s had enough of Peter’s narcissism. The solution is ethically questionable – but also satisfying and entertaining to watch.
It’s Hughes’ performance that anchors the chaos. He makes Micky infuriating, charming and weirdly heroic. The writing is offbeat and unpredictable, the tone dancing between light comedy and psychological drama. There’s something daring about how it all holds together.
Production-wise, it’s clean. The camera work is praisworthy. The pace is tight. The film never overstays its welcome, and never feels like it’s padding time.
What’s exciting is this isn’t going to be a one-off. ‘Micky Buttons’ is the start of a wider series, and based on this opening act, it’s absolutely worth your time. Hughes has created something both entertaining and risky – a strange, tuneful descent into the minds of the broken and the bold. Therapy has never been this much fun.
