“The Crush” is an Irish short film about a young schoolboy named Ardal who has a crush on his teacher, Miss Purdy. Trouble arises when Miss Purdy gets engaged to her boyfriend. It was written and directed by Michael Creagh.
The character development was very well done, especially
with it being such a short film. You really got a glimpse into who each of the
characters. You can really feel for how Ardall felt. The film made Miss Purdy’s
fiancé seem not nice, even in the few interactions there were with him. Viewers
will root for Ardall.
At points, the cinematography seemed a bit too dramatic.
However, it really captured the emotions of what was going on, especially in
the duel. The suspense was so well done- I gasped and was shocked by the twist
in what happened.
While I did enjoy the film, I do have a few doubts about its
realism. It is shocking that Ardall was able to get even a look-alike gun to
school, but we do see that with school shootings in the United States. However,
the film takes place in Ireland. In my own experience, no child has gone to
this extreme to get a teacher to love them, but they have likely thought about
it.
As a childcare professional myself, I am slightly concerned
with how Miss Purdy handled Ardall’s crush on her. While I do appreciate her
being so sweet and gentle, she should not have asked if the ring Ardall gave her
meant that they were engaged. She should have set a boundary, which can be done
with kindness as well.
Overall, this film is so sweet and wholesome. Everyone can
relate to having a crush on a teacher at one point in their life. Ardall is
such a nice character that it did not seem real that he would actually go
through with a duel to the death for his teacher. While most people I know have
never fought anyone to the death for a crush on a teacher, the heartbreak is
real. It may not be the most believable film, but it was cute.
Content warnings: Guns, toxic relationship
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