“Baked Beans”
Credits:
Written & Directed: Remone Jones
Starring: Shelby Lattany, Kahmal Sealey, Melissa Costa
Run Time: 00:05:13
Available to stream? Yes, on YouTube.
There are sayings that many film professors preach to young students such as, “avoid the obvious”, “don’t rely on vulgarity”, and “provide character depth”. In Baked Beans, Remone Jones shrugs off any of that nonsense, and in five minutes delivers a knockout punch of a comedy.
The film starts slow and a bit played out— will the boyfriend show up for his girlfriend’s birthday? Jones uses the form of a short film to be able to easily call back to a seemingly nothing of a moment when our main character, played with ease and charm by Shelby Lattany, is offered one last surprise for her birthday.
The main punchline of Baked Beans is obvious enough to anyone past the age of five who has ever heard the “Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit” limerick. The when and how of the landing of that joke and it’s immediate repercussions are a new twist on a classic bit of comedy.
Performances are solid, and no one ever tips their hand or leans into the joke. Everything about this film is subtle, and that is in large part to Jones’ direction, along with careful writing, all complimented by Shafaq Wafa’s understated yet beautiful photography.
Some might walk away from this short feeling like it’s a bit of a one trick pony, and to that, consider that this is a new curveball for an old trick. Besides, it may be a one trick pony, but it’s a hell of a good trick.
4/5 Stars
Shelby Lattany in Baked Beans (Remone Jones, 2024)