Gastronomically speaking, what pairs well with fear? A pan-seared foie gras? A red wine, or berry reduction? A secret too severe to serve? Tasteless is a story that feeds those fears, shoving flavor and fright down your gullet like a duck destined for the dinner table.
When confronting a restaurateur with a secret a customer bites off more than he can chew.
Tasteless, IMDB
An intimate setting such as a small dining room may seem like a lovely place, helping to bud romances and bond with a significant other. But as soon as a customer (played by writer/director Joe Gietl) sits to dine on a fancy meal, the chef (Bonnie Discepolo) grows increasingly nervous. The customer asks about loneliness and wonders aloud about his date bailing on him. He encourages the chef to join him in his meal, prying into her life and happiness. The food grows cold, the chef grows anxious, the man turns volatile. And then…
… I won’t spoil it. Let’s just say there is a twist that changes everything.
Tasteless is not just a short, it’s an experience. Rising tension makes you believe the story will go one way before morphing into another genre, then another at the end. Though the whole story takes place in a small space, Tasteless‘ climax opens up an entire world beyond those kitchen walls. In all honesty, it blew my mind and gives a whole new meaning to the title.
Tasteless executed its storyline flawlessly. The acting was believable, making it easy to flow from one emotion to another. And like a multiple-course meal, small bites (in this case, just under 20 minutes) leave me wanting to come back for more.
Tasteless is currently on the festival circuit. Keep up with the film on Instagram!
