With a film like Toxic, it's very important to pay attention to the images which inhabit the screen, whether in a corner or predominating the space entirely, for it is them that carry the intended, distinctive, well-defined message of the plot. The short opens with a scene of a cityscape where in the distance lurks a hoarding of a woman, unmistakably sexualised for a society which has conditioned itself to view them solely as objects of desire, and meeting with a failure to fulfil this expectation in real life, away from the lens of media and entertainment, makes them feel deprived of a right, or view themselves as a victim of a serious wrong done to them. This is the core concern of the narrative, dealt expertly, steering clear of traps of banality, voyeurism or superficiality regarding the treatment of its subject matter. When Darren agrees to give a ride to Irene to a common friend's party, his expectations from the night, as well as Irene, in his own head are contrasted against the inadequacy of his misguided feelings in the real world. While even in the face of all the aggression and rudeness, the characters around him remain unmoved, and maybe even polite and friendly, his perception and the interpretation of the same situations is jarring as well as deeply disturbing for both the viewer and the protagonist himself, albeit for vastly different reasons. A reflection in the mirror stands for his skewed interpretation of the events unfolding before him. A TV screen in focus comes as a harbinger of the dark path a character like Darren might be headed towards, once again proving true the proposition made at the start about the images and symbols in the narrative. The film manages to interact with all of these concerns, without ever explicitly spelling out anything, finally concluding with a clear warning of what is to come for someone who, despite seeing himself as a victim of those around him, especially women or men who manage to be comfortable around their female counterparts, is simply a product of staggering levels of toxic masculinity, entitlement and distorted ideas of interpersonal relationships.

Toxic | Short Film of the Day

At the film's core lie pertinent and important thematic concerns, but the manner it chooses to engage with them is kept deliberately lighthearted and frivolous, ensuring the conversation is open, inclusive and easily consumed. It talks of relationships and the familial space with a lens that is focused on interpersonal dynamics between men. 

 Lawrence has reached a point where any expression of love towards his twelve-year-old son, Jonas, will be jeered at and made fun of by his softball teammates. Though the film introduces you to the imagined and toxic standards of masculinity, as well as the idea of a family which can be both nurturing and oppressive, it never deviates from an approach that is marked by ease and humor. Its true strength lies in the fact that it does not take itself too seriously, the opposite of which could have possibly made the treatment of the subject matter hackneyed. 

 After an especially stressful day with his mates, Lawrence comes back home an emotional wreck who has to be comforted by a patient and sagacious Jonas. In a parodical reversal of roles, the son comforts his father. Following the kind words, the protagonist eventually finds himself strong enough to finally make a decision about Jonas and the softball team, however, will this decision come in time for Lawrence to make all the needed amends?

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