Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival – In the short, Let’s Leave the Planet!, stoner Tara (Julia Rae Maldonado) is at a crossroads of sorts. She’s unsure if things are really working out with her boyfriend, Andy (Jeff Gorcyca). Then, when he tells her that he’s an alien, she doesn’t believe him. Who would? Part stoner movie and part love letter to sci-fi, Let’s Leave the Planet! is an endearing short that explores the complexities of a relationship.

Filmed just after lockdown, the entirety of the story takes place on a rooftop, with only two characters. It begins with a shot of a clear night sky, before Trump’s voice plays over the radio, talking about a space force. This opening establishes an absurd tone, and it only ramps up when Andy breaks the news that he’s an alien. Taking puffs from her bong, Tara isn’t sure if he’s fooling or not. A lot of credit needs to go to Gorcyca here. He plays the part in a deadpan fashion, and his character does come across as non-human at times, even non-emotive. I don’t know how he couldn’t have laughed while reciting the line, “Most of us are anthropologists or academics.”  But he delivers it with a straight face. His performance also leaves enough ambiguity to make the viewer wonder if he’s really an alien.

Director Chelsea B. Lockie and writers Maldonado and Michael Lamarra really do a fine job here. For a film with so few characters and a familiar setting, it remains entertaining. Both the performances and dialogue impress. This is a well-written script, one that combines humor with some dramatic weight. These characters need to decide what to do about their relationship. It either needs to progress or end.

Both Gorcyca and Maldonado are a real treat to watch in Let’s Leave the Planet!  Their characters feel stuck and need to move forward. Maybe leaving the planet, and well, moving in together is a solution to their problems. Out of lockdown, this team managed to create a short that’s funny but also smart in its examination of relationships and vulnerability. This short has laughs, heart, and depth.

8 Out of 10