Rinse & Repeat showcases the comforting feeling of decompressing in a quiet space from the crowds and noises during a party.

The film begins with our main protagonist, Emily, going into a bathroom and closing the door behind her. This opening shot puts the viewer into the scene and makes us feel like we are hiding away with her. When she closes the door, all background audio of the party disappears, giving the illusion, that for a time, she is alone and surrounded by the quietness of the bathroom that she was longing for.

The warm and neutral tones of the bathroom encapsulate feeling safe in finding peaceful solitude during a loud gathering. The off-white colouring of the tile, soft green leaves on the cream shower curtain, all give a calming aspect to the scene. This makes our protagonist feel secure as she sits down and lights a cigarette.

About thirty seconds into the film, Emily finds Josh, her ex-boyfriend hiding behind her in the tub, fully clothed. After the two meet, Emily joins Josh in the bathtub and they begin talking. Unloading the emotional baggage of their past relationship onto one another, they are filling up the bathtub with their sentiments. As many of the scenes are filmed in the bathtub, this gives the film an even deeper level of intimacy. When taking a bath, you are vulnerable. Floating in the water, naked and defenceless. Both characters are intoxicated, lowering their inhibitions, allowing them to expose more of themselves to each other.

Throughout the film, most of the shots have a soft focus to them. Emily and Josh are drunk, and this filming technique allows the viewer to be submersed in the scene and feel the same vulnerability as our characters. The overall editing is quite simple. With no music track, until the very end, or complex sound effects, the story and acting stand alone. This makes the footage seem raw and unfiltered.

The ending scene of the film appears to be a rebirth for both characters. Emily forgives Josh for the past and he turns on the shower. The water covers them, and they begin to kiss. The water seems to represent washing away their past relationship, the mistakes they made, previous experiences, and the feelings they once had. This is the only time that music is used during the film. The track amplifies the romantic aspect of the scene. The extreme close-up camera shots give the scene a particular type of intimacy that we don’t see throughout the rest of the film.

The character development is subtle but effective. When Josh and Emily find each other, their dialogue is vague. They won’t allow themselves to open up to each other. As the film progresses, we see them become more comfortable with one another. There are many emotional changes in each scene. The start of the film has the characters feeling anxious and out of place. They both were trying to find a calm space to decompress. By the end, they have found that safe space within each other. These changes are delicate but play a large role in the film.

Overall, “Rinse & Repeat” accurately portrays the thoughts and feelings of someone who retreats to a quiet space to find serenity during a party. The combination of simple editing, plot, and setting gives viewers an immersive experience. Director and writer, Mark Moliterni, does a wonderful job of finding that peaceful feeling of hiding away and portraying it on screen.

*Feature image provided by Unsplash