Written and directed by Alex Ajello, ‘Domino’ is a short drama film that acts as an awareness film for suicide prevention. The poignant narrative centers around the mental angst and crisis of a young man – portrayed by Jackson Meyers. Additional cast include; Waverly Warren, Martin Abolleile, Benita Ajello and Alfred Ajello. ‘Domino’ is a hard-hitting watch that doesn’t shy away from exposing the protagonist’s internal despair – fueled by bulling, his relationship and his parents.
Throughout the 4-minute narrative, we are given a glimpse into the pressure-cooker existence of the young man. The film opens with a harrowing altercation with a bully, before returning home to his belligerent parents – who are midway through a conflict. Exasperated by all the woes in his life, the young man resorts to suicide. The film’s critical message is focused on the after-affects of suicide and how it passes on the anguish to others.
Alex Ajello’s narrative intensions deserve high praise and acclaim, not only for its use as a suicide prevention video, but for highlighting the “domino-affect” on others – rather than just the suicided. With visually pleasing cinematography throughout, wrapped up with fine post-production and sound, ‘Domino’ is a worthy watch that will no doubt hid hard with many. The short run-time limits any viewer investment with the characters, which is essential in building empathy, but nonetheless the overall production is neatly crafted with respectable performances from the entire cast. The film ends with a sobering fact that 1.1 million US citizens attempt to take their own lives each year.
