Written and directed by William K Gerardi, ‘The Perfect Wife’ is a short horror film that showcases harrowing scenes of domestic abuse. Joshua Svoboda stars as the husband – a vulgar antagonist who verbally and physically abuses his stay-at-home wife (portrayed by Jamie Stark). The film bravely explores one-sided violence with a self-proclaimed comical narrative.
The 7-minute film opens with the housewife serving her husband a glass of milk and waffles. Dissatisfied with the limited amount of maple syrup, the husband lashes out with derogatory language. The entire film is intercut with the husband drunk at a bar with his friends – where he denounces his wife and modern women in general. Despite showcasing 4 characters throughout, all dialogue is limited to the husband – aiding the antagonist’s tyranny. The wife is portrayed by a male actor (Jamie Stark) with a diminished personality and a porcelain (doll-like) appearance.
Cinematography by Barrett Phillips deserves his praise. The entire film is delivered with a high-quality finish – outstanding editing, sound and music. The narrative is designed for the viewer to vilify the antagonist. Although comedy is a stringent goal, it comes across distasteful to the theme of abuse. Having said that, Joshua Svoboda’s performance is extraordinary – captivating the audience from start to finish.
