‘Liquor Bank’: Marcellus Cox’s Latest Short Film Finds A Black Man Staring Down His Life In A Bottle

Written and directed by:

Marcellus Cox

Starring:

Antwone Barnes, Sean Alexander James

Synopsis (IMDb):

A young man relapses, missing his one year sobriety anniversary party at his local AA support group.

Monique’s review:

Antwone Barnes as Eddie in Liquor Bank (Photo: Marcellus Cox)

Marcellus Cox‘s latest short film Liquor Bank is another one of his films that showcase the complexity and emotional depth of Black manhood.

Taking place during one afternoon, an AAA group leader named Baker (Sean Alexander James) comes to an ex-Marine‘s (Antwone Barnes) house after he misses his one year sobriety anniversary. The ex-Marine, Eddie, feels like drinking is the only thing that keeps him alive and gives him hope. It’s Baker’s mission to make sure that Eddie does not throw his life away.

Even though Cox’s prior film, Mickey Hardaway, was also an extremely heartfelt look at Black manhood, Liquor Bank allows us to see Cox’s growth as a writer. In Mickey Hardaway, the writing style is a bit flowery and poetic, which may be fantastic if you are already a lover of poetry. But for viewers who like more straightforward discussions in films, Liquor Bank‘s script has a quicker pace that is both easier to follow and strengthens Cox’s naturalistic and emotional tone.

The two actors in the film showcase their range with in the short film’s quick 14 minutes. This is especially true for James, who previously starred in Mickey Hardaway. In Liquor Bank, James once again takes on a firm-but-fatherly tone as he did in Mickey Hardaway, but at least this time, James’ character is able to get through to his ward-of-sorts and, at least for now, gets him on the right track.

The short film ends on a happy note, but not without some harrowing seconds in between the climax and the final scene. However, to me, the film offers a bit of a question mark. We know Eddie is having trouble maintaining his sobriety. While he’s been helped this time, will it stick? Like with Mickey Hardaway, Cox’s lesson is that we are the ones who ultimately decide if we succeed or fail. With that said, it’s up to us to decide if we think Eddie will firmly stick with his sobriety or relapse in the future.

Overall, Liquor Bank is a fantastic short film that builds on Cox’s career as a voice for Black men’s under-explored emotional inner landscape.