Anything Helps
From the Archives
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Comedy, Short Films, 14-Jul-2025
An injured, unemployed, and irresponsible father fakes having cancer to pay for his broken ceiling. Max DeFalco directs “Anything Helps,” a high-octane comedy fueled by its frantic lead caught in a series of chaotic interactions. From his crummy Los Angeles apartment, Doug speaks to his son on the telephone while a loud banging from above diverts his attention. Turns out, his upstairs neighbor, Sunshine, is having passionate sex and it’s causing damage to his ceiling. Doug knocks on Sunshine’s door to get answers but she becomes explosive and Doug gets defensive. Shortly after, another neighbor asks Doug to make a donation to his dying friend’s cancer fund. With things being tight, Doug can’t contribute, but he does get a bright idea that involves shaving his head and hitting the streets. Exuding a persona that’s extremely pathetic but surprisingly charming, Adam Rosenblatt (Doug) shines in this role as a deadbeat once again — almost exactly a year ago we featured DeFalco’s previous short “The Consequences of Taking Without Asking.” Both films make for an exciting example of a directorial approach and performance style working hand-in-hand. -JM. Writer/Director: Max DeFalco. Cast: Adam Rosenblatt, Quinnlynne Valley, Nicky Cutler. Director of Photography: Brandon D. Hill. Editor: Riley R. Scott. Producer: Sydney Kirchoff. Production Designer: Lydia Gallegos. Sound Designer: Jacob Flack. Colorist: Kali Bateman.
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