[“The Postie” is the second short of my “7 Queer Christmas Shorts for 2021” post. To read the next review, “He Could’ve Gone Pro”, click HERE. To read the previous review, “A Boy Named Noel“, click HERE.]
“The Postie” is actually a cute lesbian Christmas short film! Chock full of those first-crush vibes, paired with the uncertainty and even whimsical comedy of trying to find out if your crush is even a lesbian, this short takes us on a fun ride. While I had a few issues with some of the cinematic elements and the pacing was very abrupt and jumpy at times, this queer Christmas short is certainly one to add to your seasonal viewing playlist.
Synopsis of “The Postie”
Detailed synopsis… to be written…
Amy falls head over heels for the new Postie but finding out whether the attraction is mutual proves to be far more difficult then she first expected. So It’s up to her best friend Lilly to come to her rescue and help her find the solution.
The Critique
Let’s start off with the not-so-good bits and why I had to deduct a couple ratings even though I enjoyed “The Postie.” The first reasons should be rather obvious to anyone watching this short – it has some poor lighting issues. The scene in the bathtub and on the sofa are the worst culprits, something that I cannot chalk up to watching a poor quality version. Another cinematographic aspect that I found a bit lacking was with regards to the actual editing. The short film is quite choppy! Sure, it is meant to show the passage of time with at least a day or two in between each of Amy’s attempts to get the attention of the Postie. The abruptness sort of works, but then it also doesn’t. Am I being picky? Perhaps. But as it was significant enough to notice, I felt the need to deduct for both aspects.
The other reason “The Postie” lost half a star is because while both Kat Ronson and Ruby Todd are rather cute in how they gossip and plot out how Amy can get the Postie’s attention, it comes across as a bit melodramatic. When paired with the lighting issues, I got the feel of a soap opera. Probably not quite the vibe writer/director Jade Winters was going for! (And there’s nothing horribly wrong with melodramatic soap operas either! But wasn’t expecting that style in a short film…) Since the script itself didn’t seem to be the culprit, it falls to a combination of everyone’s acting abilities – or the direction they were given on how to act in the scene.
Speaking of the script, I thought it was fun and quirky! The premise is one that we all can relate to: spying someone we have a crush on but not sure if they’re even gay, let alone interested in you. From the first attempt to ordering a huge rainbow tablecloth, to the sexy Santa negligee, “The Postie” certainly has plenty of humour. Even the third attempt when it’s a completely different postie at the door had me laughing! Yet the best part of this lesbian short film is that Amy finally connects with Carrie, her postie crush, on a day she had nothing planned. The innocence of asking for a glass of water while slipping the card and postie ornament on the table was a cute yet romantic gesture made only cuter because Amy was distracted on the phone with her friend, Lily. I do wish we had a bit longer to read the card, but the ending is one of hope and joy. The perfect things for a lesbian or queer Christmas short film!
Have you even had a crush on your mailman or other person just out doing there job? I know I have! And that’s why “The Postie”, even though it’s a lesbian story, really hit home for me. With a witty and cute, yet simple story, this queer Christmas film is a wonderful film to watch if you need some holiday joy this Christmas season. Don’t you agree?
Queer Relevance of “The Postie”
Amy is a lesbian who has a crush on her postie. Even though we aren’t quite sure the sexuality of her friend, Lily, “The Postie” is already a queer short film. And as I mentioned above, the entire premise is relatable for most queer folks if you’ve ever had a crush on someone you weren’t sure was even gay.
