Jonni Philips’ Barber Westchester, screened at the ByTowne Cinema as part of the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), was an enjoyable yet simply animated film that played with viewers’ emotions as it grappled with topics of inner conflict and acceptance.
The story follows the main character, Barber, as they leave their hometown of Des Amato to pursue their love of space and astronomy through an internship at NASA. When they get there, their entire worldview is crushed when they are told space is a government hoax. Barber falls into a spiral of depression, leading them to embark on a powerful journey to find their place in the world.
Through self-healing, deep conversation with a friend and finally self-acceptance, Barber decides to leave the internship and go back to their family. As they return to Des Amato, they learn to come to terms with who they are and discover how to move forward in life.
While the storyline of the film is surely worthy of praise, the visual execution is overly simple. Basic drawings for the scenery lack dimension, and characters resemble stick figures with some added lines. While not the most visually appealing, the powerful messages within the film more than make up for it.
From the very beginning, Philips created a multidimensional protagonist whose shy personality and openness was easy for viewers to connect to. Throughout the film, Barber shows character development as they persevere through a long and stressful journey of self-acceptance.
The film tackles themes of mental illness and depression, captured through vivid representations of Barber’s nightmares.
Visuals depict Barber stuck and falling deeper into a mud-like substance with a floating creature following them around as a symbol of their inner tribulations. As much as Barber tries to fight off or ignore the nightmares, the creature always comes back.
Each side character is effectively incorporated into the plot to play a unique role in Barber’s journey of self-acceptance. After moving, for example, Barber befriends a creature that emerges from underground to offer company and support along the journey.
Barber eventually asks the creature for advice on the problems they’re facing. In a moving and powerful speech, the creature explains to Barber that they were focusing so much on the issues in space, that they forgot to tend to themself down on earth.
The key to finally overcoming the nightmares for Barber is overcoming their feelings of being an outsider and accepting who they are in all their flaws. Despite underwhelming animation, the film conveys a powerful message viewers can easily apply to their own lives.
Everyone at some point has felt like an outsider, struggled with their internal feelings, their worldview, or needed someone to listen to them. Jonni Philips’ Barber Westchester addresses these themes while taking audiences on an emotional journey.
Featured image provided by OIAF.
