-Written by Michelle Vorob.
Toe Pick is a short film written and directed by Teresa Alfeld, which takes place during a session at pre-teen girls’ ice skating practice. Fraught with tense relationships and unfair treatment aimed at the main character, Chelsea (Nylee Phinney), Toe Pick feels true-to-life and was able to make me feel uncomfortable on behalf of Chelsea.
Sweet and sensitive, Chelsea is also the outcast of the group, the “ugly duckling”, but still tries to do good and stand up for her classmate, Jill (Valencia Budijanto), when some older boys (Brock Brown, Julian Wood Cohen) start teasing her from the stands. Chelsea also gets teased for trying to intervene, and while the girls’ coach, Karoline (Gigi Neil) tells the boys to leave, she is of no comfort or support to Chelsea. Her interactions with Chelsea consist of harsh criticism and open dislike. A very one-sided “Karen” character, Coach Karoline isn't seen doing any actual coaching, despite children performing complex skating maneuvers, or at least attempting to.
It was hard to tell if Coach Karoline was supposed to come off so one-dimensionally or not, especially juxtaposed to Chelsea's Uncle Dave (Roberts Eggers), who is a comforting, loving source of support and seems to be the only father figure in Chelsea's life, based on what we see. Eggers plays the role with heart and makes a convincing, unconditionally loving uncle.
During practice, there's an accident involving Chelsea and Jill. Both injured, Chelsea is bleeding but is admonished, while concern is shown for Jill. Toe Pick lost me here a bit and I questioned whether the film skipped, or if there was an editing error, because next we see Chelsea, she's performing her routine and is phenomenal. Confident and strong, Chelsea commands the arena with a flawless performance. She nails every jump, every landing; this kid is going places.
Cut to Chelsea in the car with her uncle, the performance was only in Chelsea's mind, during the trip home after the accident at practice. Dejected and still bleeding, Chelsea tells her uncle she just wanted to skate.
Toe Pick ends, and during the credits we see a happy, relaxed Chelsea skating in the rink during an open [public] session, no structure or demands, just free.
This raised questions for me. How could Chelsea be happy meandering around in a circle, when she had been taking lessons, in order to perform a complex routine for an event? Yes, she was now free of an uncomfortable and unsupportive environment, but why not end the film showing Chelsea go to a better coach? Why not end the film showing Chelsea nail her performance for real?
As someone who took ice skating lessons and performed in competitions as a child, I can tell you there is a beginner's phase, basic training you complete at a younger age, before you can advance to the particular junior level of Chelsea and her classmates. This would mean Chelsea had been skating many years before the events we see.
Based on my own experience, it was hard for me to believe Chelsea would give that up, at that point, after investing so much time and effort. On the other hand, perhaps the accident was the final straw that made Chelsea realize she was stuck in something that no longer brought her joy. But, there was that whole imaginary, amazing performance. So close. Still within reach. Why Chelsea, why?
The technicals of Toe Pick were consistent. Sound, lighting, editing and overall production were done well for a low-budget film and I was able to focus on the story. Toe Pick is a film with heart that may also remind you of your childhood days in hockey, soccer, or even ice skating.
Written and Directed by Teresa Alfeld.
Starring Nylee Phinney, Gigi Neil, Roberts Eggers, Valencia Budijanto, Brock Brown, Julian Wood Cohen, etc.
7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
Courtesy of Crazy8s Film Society