Director Chance Muehleck delivers a comedic thriller with edge in ‘Cardinal Virtues’, a dark comedy short that opens with a crime already committed and everything still about to go wrong. Susan and Jerry are a married couple squatting in a house that doesn’t belong to them. They’ve just killed the owner, Van Hoffer (George Sheffey), and buried him in the woods.
When they return to the burial site and find the grave empty, the panic sets in. Mary Bacon plays Susan with an unruly, erratic edge, while Erik Jensen gives Jerry a calm that quickly unravels. Their chemistry is chaotic in the best way, and their back-and-forth gives the film its rhythm.
The writing is witty and clever, filled with one-liners and oddball reasoning. Susan invents an alibi. Jerry pushes it too far. The couple begin to question everything, including whether Van was even dead in the first place.
They return to the house and find Van sitting calmly in the lounge, covered in dirt and waiting. George Sheffey gives him a composed stillness that makes the moment both hilarious and deeply uncomfortable. Muehleck keeps the pace focused and the tone grounded in absurdity. Tarkovsky’s cinematography adds polish, with quality framing that let the performances shine. The sound design is subtle and effective, adding texture without distraction.
‘Cardinal Virtues’ is eccentric, well executed and confident in its style. It doesn’t aim for realism. It aims for chaos with purpose, and it hits the mark. A highly entertaining watch.
