Nursery Rhymes

 OBENG GLORIA 

BFATP28012

GROUP 5

June 14,2025

short film review “Nursery Rhymes” (2019)

Film title: Nursery Rhymes 

The short film "Nursery Rhymes" (2019) was:

🎬 Directed by:

Tom Noakes

✍️ Written by:

Tom Noakes, Hugh Stephen, and Lukas White

🎭 Main Cast:

Toby Wallace as the metalhead (main performer singing "Old MacDonald")

Sara West as the distressed mother

Eliya Scifleet as the child

This award-winning short film was produced by Lamb and supported by VICE Studios and Screen Australia. It gained attention for its powerful single-take direction, emotional depth, and unique concept that turns absurdity into heartbreak and heroism.

From the moment the film opens, we’re dropped into a bleak, rural Australian highway—frigid air and barren surroundings. A shirtless metalhead (Toby Wallace) stands trembling, belting out “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” The dissonance of a heavy-metal figure singing a playful nursery rhyme immediately disorients us, planting seeds of curiosity and concern.

The film hooks us instantly. Within seconds, we’re haunted by the bizarre contrast: a metalhead singing innocently on a desolate roadside. The ambiguity holds our attention, urging us forward. It doesn’t drag—each beat builds with relentless tension.

Without spoiling the core twist: “Nursery Rhymes” is a tightly wound 5-minute short where what appears to be a strange roadside spectacle unravels into a gut-wrenching portrait of human compassion and grief.

At its heart lies a message about courage and kindness in the face of tragedy; a reminder that heroism isn’t always dramatic—it can be humble, tender, and led by a stranger’s desperation to help. The film left me shaken, transparent like an open wound long after the credits.

Yes—expectation meets subversion. What starts as absurdity—the metalhead’s song—gradually reveals itself as a source of comfort, and the unfolding truth deeply upends our assumptions .

Though Wallace’s character isn’t given pages of backstory, his portrayal is compellingly layered—equal parts volatile, vulnerable, and kind-hearted . Sara West’s character and the distressed child provide emotional gravity. The relationships—fragile bonds forged in tragedy—are rendered with authenticity. Wallace stands out, his performance nuanced and charismatic amid chaos .

Tom Noakes’ single-take approach (save one final cut) is masterfully orchestrated . The camera pans from the metalhead to an overturned car, then to a grieving mother and child, each beat intensifying. Visual moments—the smoking car, distant thunder—hover like painful echoes of loss. The framing and lighting reinforce emotional weight: cold blues and greys define the mood, punctuated by harsh overhead lights illuminating devastation.

The absence of non-diegetic music creates a haunting atmosphere. The metalhead’s persistent, off-key nursery rhyme becomes the emotional undercurrent—an aural lifeline for the child and us. Sounds—wind, thunder, sobs—are stark and unfiltered, driving immersion .

Perfectly paced single-take direction

Unexpected emotional payoff

Powerful performances, especially Wallace

Sound design that deepens realism

Brief runtime limits deeper exploration (though this brevity is also its strength)

Some viewers may struggle with the slow, atmospheric opening before the reveal.

I had heard of its reputation—it was worth every second. It lives up to its acclaim, exceeding expectations with a simple musical refrain turned life-affirming act.

 I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates concise, emotional storytelling with technical ambition. It’s accessible (free on YouTube), but stays with you long afterward.

“Nursery Rhymes” endures as a testament to the power of human connection. A brief lullaby becomes a clarion call to kindness in crisis. The final image—a child’s cry cut abruptly—leaves a lingering ache. It reminds us of how closely beauty and tragedy often intertwine and how courage can reside in the simplest gestures.