Overrated

Disturbing yet enthralling

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

"The Confession" is a 26-minute short film from 6 years ago and it was the first international project by Estonian filmmaker Tanel Toom. Language is English though, so don't worry about subtitles. The story is about two boys who share a "gruesome" secret that ultimately turns into tragedy. I am not really sure why I did not manage to enjoy this Oscar-nominated short film as much as I hoped I would. It is atmospheric, dramatic and the acting is solid too. Maybe it is just too long for its own good and I struggled really to see the film with the absurdity that the boys saw all the action. Aren't they too old for that? Shouldn't they have talked to their parents? At least, that is what I would have expected from the protagonist who is apparently a sensitive soul. I cannot share the appreciation everybody else has for this little movie. Cannot understand why it was nominated for an Oscar. At least, it did not beat the excellent "God of Love". I have to confess that I did not like "The Confession". Thumbs down.

A Catholic schoolboy thinks he must absolve himself sin despite the fact that he hasn't actually done anything wrong. His buddy devises a prank that would legitimize his confession, which has a tragic end. The movie is as predictable as it is overly-dramatic. It plays like a barebones version of a Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon) concept, especially given its black and white presentation. I recommend watching any recent Von Trier film or Haneke film instead. Hopefully this won't see a feature-length follow-up. It takes itself way, way too seriously to be meaningful.Not Recommended.

The Confession follows the story of two young boys that are trying to find what to confess in their first confession. Their comedic explorations take a dramatic twist, while at the same time a few "psychological thriller" types of scenes give this cross-genre experience a lot of weird moments. Because evidently the director's intention to mix the genres was not justified, meaning that the mix had no deeper aesthetic purpose other than the very experiment of mixing, which is why at times the story is left dry, trying to discover a purpose for the characters other than the before-mentioned cinematic experiment. And that's a shame, because each of the genres is very well delivered, especially the first comedic vibes.

The Confession is only 26 minute long. It's really thrilling. I imagine that the script is so good that you can triple that time and make a full- length movie. I still liked the short film though.Tanel Toom is unknown in film industry. Until now. Nominated for Oscar in short film category. This is a massive achievement for a young guy like Tanel. I assume this gives him a gigantic boost for the future. Well, he didn't win, but actually it doesn't matter that much. The best thing about this nomination is that his name is much better known now. And it can open many doors to him which were closed prior to nomination. He seems a bright fella. Maybe a future face of Estonian film business, who knows. Anyway, I'm glad for him.