Black Conflux – A Solid Yet Impactful Character Drama

Black Conflux is a drama focused on the seemingly disparate lives of Jackie (Ballentine) and Dennis (Ryan McDonald) as they lead their lives grappling with personal issues and the intricacies of society. Jackie is a student who often hangs out with her friends. She is trying to carve meaning out of her life by trying out different things, discovering herself. Dennis, an employee at a workhouse, lives a solitary life as he attempts to come out of his wallow.

The structure of the film consists of two parallel stories running in conjunction, as Jackie navigates her school life and transition into womanhood grappling with family issues, Dennis, works in a local warehouse while restrained by his family. In the first act, the film uses parallel cutting to contrast the lives of Jackie and Dennis. The characters have fleeting interactions throughout the film, and even though their stories take place in the same area, they have little intersection. But, the events of their lives and the tone of the film make us feel intuitive that they will meet and burst it all out at some point. It is like two lines that we feel are parallel, but then they eventually cross paths. The film gets its title from here, coming from the convergence of these two desolate tales.

Dorsey uses the above structure to her advantage and tells us two stories of loneliness, but from different perspectives. The circumstances and problems for Jackie and Dennis are quite different, but the binding thread of their relationship is loneliness. Through these characters, Nicole Dorsey shows us the different forms that loneliness takes and how destructive can those be. Jackie has an active social life at school and outside, always surrounded by people and partying. But, deep down, she is still “lonely in a crowd”. Maybe because of her family issues (her mother is behind bars and her aunt is a known alcoholic) and her insecurities of committing.

Meanwhile, Dennis is a “real loner”. He hardly meets anyone or has any genuine friends outside of work. Although the film doesn’t dive into his past, but he has been in big trouble before, and hence his parents try to keep him restrained. He has fantasies of girls coming to talk to him, which points towards his delusional behavior. Hinting towards psychology, this contrast between the lives of Jackie and Dennis is an example of how psychological issues can wreak havoc when coupled with our outside world problems in a multitude of ways. Someone can be always surrounded by friends, and someone has to tread the road alone, but they can be equally lonely and sad. The film also touches upon the role situational perspectives play in society, something that we rarely notice. Our brains often fall into stereotypical traps of different kinds.

One of the noteworthy aspects of Black Conflux is its cinematography. Its depiction of 1980s Newfoundland is beautifully captured with the right aesthetic, giving viewers the feel of a peaceful small town. The admirable production design also complements this achievement. The ensemble cast also hits the right spots. Even though almost the entire cast is filled with young up-and-coming actors, they flesh out the right characteristics expected of their character. The issue with Black Conflux lies with the way the climax is built up to. The intersection of the two plotlines, while it feels intuitive to occur at some point, there is no hint of it throughout the film. It happens out of nowhere and lays little emphasis on resolution. Also, the short runtime doesn’t allow for enough exposition which can make us feel a little disconnected from the characters initially.

With Black Conflux, Dorsey creates a world that effectively illustrates loneliness and depression taking different forms, and intervening with our social and professional life. While it is original for the most part, there are certain recognizable features. The film has the potential to create an impact on the viewers, but yes, it most certainly is not the best this genre usually offers.

still courtesy of Vortex Media

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