THUNDER ROAD - JIM CUMMINGS (2016)

Written, directed and starring Jim Cummings, Thunder Road is a one-shot black comedy that is pretty painful to watch. It won at Sundance, which has a history of screening uncomfortable American comedies (though very few comedies from outside the United States). Cummings plays a grieving cop, Jimmy, who is the only one of three siblings to turn up for his mother's funeral. After delivering a heartfelt though often rambling eulogy, he decides to pay tribute to his mother by dancing to her favourite track: Thunder Road by Bruce Springstein. The result does of course make for uncomfortable viewing. It would be hard to argue that there is a lot of story in this short film, or that it is laugh-out-loud funny, but the monologue and acting really is superb, the awkwardness tangible and its simplicity impressive. If you like Thunder Road by Jim Cummings be sure to rate it and share it.