“I’m the best.”
Like so many other statements that we make, referring to ourselves as ‘the best’ usually indicates out own inability to cope with our failings. And this is absolutely the case in Ian Bawa’s latest short, The Best.
In The Best, we are introduced to ‘Muscle Man’, a South Asian bodybuilder who’s attending his father’s funeral. Crushed under waves of grief, he takes the microphone in an attempt to explain the complexities of his relationship with his deceased dad. Later, as he returns to the gym, he takes all of his father’s brutality with him and he attempts to justify his believe that he truly is ‘the best’.
There’s something beautifully toxic about Bawa’s main character that becomes incredibly compelling. Both funny and forlorn, this muscle man seems to exhibit every horrifying male trait. Celebrating his sexual conquests and demanding the respect of those around him, one can almost feel the bravado seeping through his mental gymnastics. At the same time though, Bawa immediately undercuts his character’s performance in the sight of others. Instantly, we are made aware of his insecurities and, suddenly, he becomes a person to pity as opposed to despise.
In doing so, Bawa spends more time within the mind of the man than within his muscles. This is a character who bears a heavy burden. Having had his toxically masculinity imposed upon him by his dad, his constant self-justification comes across as an attempt to prove his worth. Without validating his terrible instincts, Bawa shows empathy for a person who both grieves and rejoices in father’s passing. (After all, his father demanded perfection of him without offering grace.) These behaviours have been passed to him with the expectation that he would take up the mantle, even if he wants to see the world differently himself. Despite its short runtime, there’s something profound within this search for grace, even if it remains to be seen if this man were able to find any.
The Best is playing at part of TIFF’s Short Cuts program. For more information, click here.
