A Netflix first at just 12 minutes, If Anything Happens I Love You has become a new trend for Gen Z, as Tik Tok users record themselves at the start, middle and end of the mini-movie to see if they cry.
What makes the film so intriguing is the fact it’s so short; its characters are so vague and the sinister storyline is portrayed in a contradicting much less sinister cartoon. So, why would you cry? It is an animation that says so much without actually saying anything at all. No lines are said, only drawn.
The title of the short film is a text we would all dread to receive and because of this, viewers can easily recognise right from the start that a tragedy is waiting to happen in this story. The director, Youngran Nho, said about the film:“Because the film is so vulnerable and raw-feeling, I also wanted to make it look very raw and somehow unfinished, just like sketches.”
As a complete sketch throughout, Netflix’s new addition portrays it’s three characters in an eerily detached manner. Failing to give them facial features or even voices, the film gives you little reason to relate to the illustrated cast. However, the lack of lexis and the well chosen music keeps you engaged with the emotions, thoughts and feelings of the three; knowing what their facial expressions would be without having to physically see the appearance through eyes, mouths and noses. Yet we seem drawn to the personas whom we know nothing about.
Through its simplistic drawings, the film gives a window into two parents grieving their deceased child. It captures the misery the couple feel, displaying it through the difficulty of day-to-day deeds of having dinner together but not knowing what to say. The breakdown of a marriage we see at one point as being so strong, demonstrates the devastating effects and unbearable strain such a huge loss can cause in relationships.
A dark subject is revealed after we flashback to before the passing of the young child. King Princess’ ‘1950’ softly marks the transition between the past and present, as the director takes us back to watch the young girl grow up through snapshots of important milestones in her life. Nho connects the viewers to the family as we can all relate to the key moments like birthdays, first days at school and first kisses. The child’s sudden death is emphasised by the multiple reminders of the short life she left behind. One way in which this is demonstrated is through the colour blue being shown on souvenirs the girl left behind. This contrast between the bright shade and the dark hues of the parts of the film after she has passed demonstrates how the girl was the light of her parents’ lives and without her in them, they are colourless.
If Anything Happens I Love You is a short but obligatory watch for Netflix lovers. The real question is, will you find yourself in tears too?
3 stars
Image Credit: The MovieDB
