"People hate me. Actually, everybody hates me. Because I'm the guy that tells them... when they're going to die."
The Messenger is a Short Film released in 2017 at the New Hampshire Film Festival, starring Tom Bergeron in the titular role.— The Messenger
It focuses on the job of a man known only as the Messenger, who holds an unenviable position in the world: To give people envelopes containing how much time they have left before they die. When the prodding of an interested kid (credited as 'The Kid') convinces him to start doing things differently, he faces unexpected consequences.
It can be watched here.
No relation to the feature-length film released in 2009 or the video game released in 2018.
Tropes found in this film:
- The Alcoholic: The Messenger visits the bar regularly, and has a large collection of shot glasses he has brought home kept in a cupboard.
- Armor-Piercing Question: The first time the Messenger is at the bar in the film, he is complaining about not being able to talk to the people that receive his envelopes. The Kid asks him a question that leaves him without a response.Kid: If you don't mind me asking, what would you say?
Messenger: What would I say? Well, I would... I'd say... shut up, that's not the point. - Bearer of Bad News: The job description of the Messenger, and what he’s been doing for forty years. Unfortunately, this makes him an infamous figure who faces scorn from most when he arrives with an envelope in tow.
- Big "WHAT?!": The first person to receive a letter in the film has this reaction after reading through its contents.
- A Birthday, Not a Break: The Kid tells the Messenger his mother received her letter on her birthday, which "kind of ruined" the party despite the letter saying she would live to 90.
- Bittersweet Ending: The Messenger gets his own letter, but he also sees a woman whose date he lied about alive after her time comes, implying that everyone who he lied to will live much longer.
- The Cameo: Jean Smart has two small but important scenes as the Woman, being the first person the Messenger lies to about their card, and at the bar, after she was slated to die.
- Dramatic Drop: When he sees his next envelope is for himself, the Messenger drops the mailbox door and leaves it dangling open.
- Face Death with Dignity: The Messenger mentions in the opening that most of the seniors he visits smile when he arrives with their letters, to be polite if nothing else.
- Foreshadowing: The Messenger insists that, no matter how long we have left to live, "Every last one of us" has our time. The story ends with him getting his letter for breaking every rule he had to follow.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Most of the dates of the letters are shown in full view or not at all, but during the second montage, the letter of the young woman by the pool is just barely seen on screen. She only had four days.
- Funny Background Event: The older man at the bar next to the woman credited as "the Drunk" has some funny reactions to the things she says. For example:Messenger: You've probably already slept with him, so where is he?
Drunk: See, now, that's offensive and silly, how am I supposed to know where everyone I've ever slept with is at all times? That's against the laws of physics.
Old Man: [Nods thoughtfully and raises his glass] - Jerk with a Heart of Gold: The Messenger is an abrasive drunk when talking to the younger people at the bar, but is always genuinely remorseful giving people their letters, and becomes much more personable and happy when he starts lying about the letters.
- Lying to Protect Your Feelings: After his talk with the Kid, the Messenger begins telling people they have much longer than the letter says. The ending implies this act actually gave those people the changed dates.
- Paper Destruction of Anger: One of the people in the opening montage rips up his letter to punctuate his Rapid-Fire "No!".
- A Round of Drinks for the House: To celebrate lying about a letter for the first time, the Messenger announces that drinks are on him at the bar.
- Shoot the Messenger: The people who get angry when they are given a letter take it out on the Messenger. Before the title card even appears, we see different people:
- Give him a "The Reason You Suck" Speech.
- Yell at him in a foreign language.
- Throw the ripped-up letter in his face.
- Hit him with a broom.
- Along with these moments, he also mentions being pepper-sprayed and stabbed.
- Spiteful Spit: A woman spits in the Messenger's face when she gets her letter, which is shown in first-person when she spits on the camera lens.
- Stop Copying Me: While slightly drunk, the Messenger briefly mocks the Kid by simply repeating his questions back at him.
- Verbal Backspace: When a letter recipient is disappointed by only having an (already embellished) 14 years left, the Messenger quickly corrects himself to 40.
