ME & MY LEFT BRAIN

Australia, 2019, 76 minutes, Colour.
Alex Lykos, Malcolm Kennard, Rachel Beck, Chantelle Barry, Natalia Ladyko.
Directed by Alex Lykos.

Who would have expected to find Left Brain in the title of the film? And, more surprisingly, to find that there is a character, Left Brain?

This is a small comedy, set in Sydney, the focus on Arthur, a man with a hanging-dog look, rarely smiling. He is approaching middle-age – and what are his prospects? Arthur is played by the writer-director, Alex Lykos who made the entertaining film Alex and Eve, an interfaith variation on Romeo and Juliet in contemporary Sydney, one family Greek Orthodox, the other family Lebanese Christian.

We see Arthur walking down the street in the company of an older man. The older man seems to hang back. Yet they talk. The older man seems to be becoming more agitated or exasperated. As well he might. And his name? Left Brain. So, this is an alter ego film, the alter ego being Arthur’s left brain who offers the rather romantic, right-brainish, Arthur some logical, commonsensical, advice.

Arthur lives alone (apart from Left Brain), is rather morose, not prone to go into action. He wants to be an actor but is criticised during his awkward audition. What is he to do?

Arthur is obsessed by Helen – who appears, charmingly, in a variety of flashbacks as Arthur reviews the possibilities, the attraction, her not responding to his texts. She is played by Chantelle Barry.

The director uses the device of having Arthur lie on his bed, Helen not having contacted him by his 9.00 pm deadline. Left Brain (Malcolm Kennard) lies down with him and dozes. There is a digital clock which indicates to the audience time passing – and, ever so slowly, Arthur turning the light on and off, Left brain complaining, the delight of a flashback only to find that scarcely a minute or so has passed – right up until the early hours. Poor Arthur!

Fortunately, Arthur has a best friend, Vivien (Rachel Beck – who also has her own Left Brain). Vivien is pretty vivacious – especially when Arthur gloomily interrupts her at home in an encounter with a big, bearded, burly Irishman, and they have to sit, Irishman wrapped in a blanket, in a solidarity vigil with Arthur.

So, the comedy is made up of small entertaining pieces – and, fortunately, Vivien being a good friend who can come to Arthur’s rescue!

1. A small comedy? Sydney-based?

2. The title, the focus on Arthur? The introduction of Left Brain is a character, after ego, complementing the Right Brain? Offering logical advice, common sense? The device of having Left Brain as a character?

3. Arthur, his age, morose, living alone, the presence of Left Brain and their interactions? His wanting to be an actor, the severe criticisms that his audition? His memories of Helen, the flashbacks, their time together, sharing, his love for her? Her not responding to his texts? His depressive response?

4. The sequence of his lying on the bed, the focus on the digital clock, the extreme slowness of time passing, Left Brain lying on the bed, dozing, exasperated? Lights on and off? The momentary delight in memories of Helen? Then the long night?

5. Vivien, good friend, neighbour, vivacious, advice, the big Irishman and Arthur interrupting, the sitting, the Irishman in his blanket?

6. Vivien and her left brain, the discussions, the relationship with Arthur, coming to his rescue?

7. The character of Left Brain, a severe critic of Arthur, frustrated? The nature of their discussions?

8. The two Left Brains and their discussion in the street, behind Arthur and Vivien?

9. Arthur, realising Vivien’s place in his life, in the street, working out that they loved each other?