Directed by Rami Time, ‘Sudden Death’ is a short comedic documentary film about one man’s unshakable pursuit to confront a telecommunications firm’s substandard customer service. Dressed in a hot dog suit, Josh Murphy – an irate customer of Suddenlink (now known as Optimum) – takes a jocular position with his protest, displaying witty placards around his West Virginia town. In spite of the film’s underling rant against corporate ineptness, the David vs. Goliath-style tale is certain to entertain from start-to-finish.
The 15-minute documentary opens with the backstory of Murphy’s grievances towards Suddenlink. After an internet outage during the COVID-19 pandemic, his complaint and promise of a “free week of service” was allegedly mishandled – which led to further anguish against the tech giant. Murphy’s determination is admirable, albeit edgy and light-hearted.
Despite the film’s low-budget production quality, the short is finely crafted throughout – with nifty cinematography and post-production. Rami Time has assembled a captivating short that will resonate with many mistreated consumers. The only drawback to the documentary is the one-sided perspective that viewers may find unbalanced. A stance from Suddenlink (which may have been rejected) would certainly give the short more credibility. Murphy’s fun-spirited personality is undoubtedly enticing – an outlandish campaigner that deserves a nod or two. A worthy watch.
