We try to fit in, we try to be liked by others, we want to be accepted, and for this to happen we have to adapt. We change our personality based on the people we meet. However, what do we do when we try to impress ourselves when we change our personality in order to impress the man in the mirror? ‘You or Me’ is the short that tries to answer these questions one way or another. Josh Parker (played by Drew Schrum) has problems in finding his own self, in coping with his own being, in accepting what he is, and most importantly, what he is not. He dreams of being powerful, badass, cool, naughty, but that is only in his mind, and as we know it, our mind plays tricks on us on a regular basis.

 

When Parker encounters his own projection, the situation goes out of hand. Normally, human beings have problems trying to cope with others, as we all are very different, and most of the times it's hard to find people who are on the same page with you. In this case, Parker has a huge problem in trying to cope with himself.

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In creating Josh Parker, director Yana Zinov followed the paths of other writers and directors who created iconic characters. The fight with the inner self is harder than ever, and we can clearly see it in how Josh Parker manages to handle it. This Josh Parker character has highly recognizable personality traces — we can see a bit of Tyler Durden in him and a bit of Alex from ‘Clockwork Orange’. What does it take from the aforementioned characters? The fight with the inner demons, the guilty pleasures, the shame, the loneliness. ‘You or Me’ is a cry for help that can only be heard by the ones who are in the same situation as the main character. Overall an enjoyable watch, made more impactful with the help of its flawless cinematography!

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