Local News Website Disorder

Directed by Richard Steele

2022

Brunosaurus Productions 

LOCAL director Richard Steele returns after a short break with a new comedy film that looks at the impact of smaller news websites on the population who try (and fail) to resist their click-bait design.

What we get in Local News Website Disorder is another Steele comedy skit, this time set in a community centre where a group of individuals have got together to discuss their addiction.

Sat around in a welcoming circle, this is no AA meeting but the coming together of those affected by reading local news websites.

The group is facilitated by a warm lady who embraces those facing this ‘debilitating’ illness and asks if anyone feels they would like to kick things off and contribute their story.

First up is a man who says he found an interesting article, with good information and a picture taken locally by a photographer. But like a raging “news-aholic” he explains how he was seduced by the dark pleasures of an article about the Top 10 Celebs You Didn’t Know Had Died.

The shared pain the members partake in is delivered in a serious dead-pan tone adding to the film’s comedic mood and the cast deliver a well-written script with aplomb. Each attendee describes a different experience with temptation and they explore their attempts to avoid the endless articles scrolling down their screens.

One man who has a “breakthrough”, explains how some articles appear local by using the term Midlands even when an event takes place in Chester. I’ve experienced this a lot personally when receiving press releases for "Midlands" film news which made me guffaw fair amount!

As well as this, the dialogue takes swipes at comments sections including those contributors who correct people and the sometimes annoying usage of “your/you're/ur” and “their/they're/there”.

I have a personal pet peeve with the part about persistent alliteration as I have a passion for its practice, but I pushed my private problem aside on a promise that perhaps I’ll proceed to find pleasures in the production’s prospective playful prospects.

The film’s cinematic technique though is secondary to the jokes – which is a slight shame – but I understand the limitations and constraints here as well as the fact that in the end, it isn’t the main aim with the film granted.

The satirical comedic themes about local media and the internet were also explored in the director’s film The Flaming Gazette (review) and although the jokes come fast in this short’s 12-minute runtime, you can tell the issue is actually close to the filmmaker's heart.

The serious concerns of our allurement to the laptop screen means it’s something most of us face and the film pokes fun at a practice we see (or do) on a daily basis.

And before the film’s conclusion it has also touched on areas like Tik Tok videos, the need for constant engagement with “likes” and “subscribes” and even the removal and lack of opportunities for trained journalists and photographers.

I couldn’t agree more on many of these issues. A “click” and a “like” has rewired people’s brains to become addicted to a short sharp shock of dopamine. And for most, many forget they ever saw or engaged with a post/comment about five seconds later. Engagement is fleeting, it lacks any substance and could be argued it’s ultimately a huge waste of time.

Local News Website Disorder is a spot-on satire structured like an addicts’ meeting that brings online habits into the real world. And the jokes mostly overcome the detrimental filmmaking techniques although I do think a script as funny as this should deserve a bit more care in that department.

But by the end, the many humorous pot shots are wry, funny and take an accurate aim at our bad technological habits in the 21^st century.

★★★½

3.5/5

Michael Sales

ALT COMMENT:

“I’m not an expert film critic BUT even if your outside of the Midlands theirz a lot here to like and ur bound to have 12 mins of LOLZ!!! 😊”