‘The Last Time’ is an unvarnished British short from director Robbi Stevens, written by and starring Dorentina Bajrami. The entire film unfolds on the pavement outside a front door – one conversation, one dangerous memory creeping back to life. The short is produced by Robbi Stevens & Abbie Elliott.
Emily (Bajrami) comes home from work to find her ex, Ty (Lucky Asare), camped on her doorstep. No need for backstory – the air between them does the work. He is broke, in trouble, looking for an out. He knows which buttons to press. He reels her in with scraps of the past.
Bajrami’s writing is tight, unsentimental. The tension builds quietly, in real time, with no harsh edits to save us from the pauses that hang between words.
The performance is what makes this film work. Bajrami holds the screen with a controlled fury, every glance loaded with history. You see her shift from caution to something colder as Ty’s story unfolds. When she finally cuts him off – “You are not going to f-ck up my life again” – it lands with a brutal finality. Asare plays Ty with just enough charm to remind you why Emily once cared, and enough desperation to show why she can’t anymore.
Shot with clarity by Peter Palmer, the film looks great without trying to look glossy. The decision to stage it entirely outside, gives it a raw honesty. There is no privacy here, no room to hide.
‘The Last Time; is exactly what a good short drama should be – lean, sharp, and honest about the messes we leave behind. Highly recommended.
