Please! (2001) User Reviews

One of the best shorts I've seen

[alpalmer · 8/10 · 26 January 2005]

I didn't know what to expect as I waited for this short film to load, but I was not disappointed. What starts off as a failed novelist's life becomes an interesting and gripping story. I was sympathetic to the characters, and unlike other short films, I became interested in their lives. I was on the edge of my seat.

Gerard Butler was excellent, as was Kate Ashfield. I would highly recommend following the links and viewing this for yourself, even if you may not be a fan of the actors involved. I would hope that this film gets a release on DVD/video, so that once it disappears from the online world, it will still be available for fans to own and enjoy.

Great Short Film.

[cinnamint · 10/10 · 17 January 2005]

Please is about Peter, a novelist who wants to see his daughter and his wife again. He carries around a gun with one bullet. He goes to his wife's office and begs her to talk to him. Then he goes to a novelist publisher of some sort and finds out they loved his piece. When it seems like all goes well, until the gun he was carrying fell into the wrong hands.

This story is great. It stars Gerard Butler (credited as Gerry), from Phantom of the Opera. He carries his emotions well. It is a great short piece with a surprise ending. Enjoy if you ever gets your hands on it. It is available online. Feel free to private message me if you want the link.

Powerful and Emotional

[jebeins · 9/10 · 6 November 2005]

An incredibly strong and cohesive short film. Performances, particularly Butler's, are impressive and moving. And there is, among all the emotional turmoil, a touch of humor as well (his communication problems in his agents office). Butler shows a depth to his character he has not often been called upon to provide. Clearly shows he is capable of much more than has been demanded of him to date. Powerful ending with an emotional punch that will stay with you for a bit. I was very pleased to have seen it although my internet connection was not of the best quality which made it difficult to view - but well worth it. I, too , wish they would put a cleaned up copy out on DVD.

It's short, but....GOOD!!!

[mkaramolegkou · 9/10 · 9 May 2005]

I'ts about Peter, a young novelist who sees his life falling apart...His wife and kid had left him and he can't reach his publicist on the phone. He wants to commit suicide, he threatens other people with his loaded gun, he even threatens his publicist. Then, everything gets better...she (the publicist) loved his novel, his wife gave him a second chance, and....The rest, you've got to see it!!! I must say, it's one of the most interesting short movies I've ever seen! Gerard Butler is very good, he convinces the spectator from the first moment...You almost feel sorry for him. The ending is so unexpected, but yet it makes you realize that life is always full of surprises...even bad ones!!! Enjoy!!!

Forgettable, very little beyond the ending

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 26 October 2017]

"Please!" is a British English-language live action short film from 2001 and this one had its 15th anniversary last year. The writer and director is Paul Black, but he never managed a big breakthrough after this 15-minute film we have here. The star is of course Gerard Butler, who was in his early 30s here, and I believe without his name attached to the project, this one would be very much forgotten by now. I am generally not a great fan of him, especially of some of his stuff like 300, but in this one we got here, he is pretty decent I'd say and the least of the film's problems. It's basically the story of a desperate man running around with a gun and facing strangers and familiar faces while threatening their lives as well as his own. It is a pretty spectacular and dramatic plot for sure, but there never comes any authenticity with it. To me, it just felt unrealistically over the top, also with one character suddenly turning the tables on him, which was perhaps the weakest moment of the film and where it hit rock-bottom. I guess many people gave this film a good rating because of the spectacular way in which it ends while forgetting about all the mediocrity from before, but even with that approach I don't see much of a point in honoring this over-the-top ending from a film that is very much on the style-over-substance side. It's shocking how forgettable it all is given how much happens in here. Don't watch.

One of the best shorts ever

[the_phantom_was_here · 9/10 · 21 January 2006]

I was astounded after watching this short film. It's one of the few shorts were you can't help but get emotionally involved with the characters and everything they go through. Gerard Butler was awesome as always, he gave it his all in this performance, despite it only being 15 minuets long, only making the film more gripping to the viewer. The story is about a novelist past the brink of desperation after his wife and daughter walked out on him. A gun and thoughts of suicide are the shadows that stalk him throughout the film leading to a very dramatic and twisted ending. It's very worth watching and I hope it ends up on DVD someday.

SAD... but brilliantly so.

[detroitswingcity · 10/10 · 24 August 2005]

SAD!! but brilliant just the same, it was the saddest but most excellent 15 minutes of film I've witnessed to date. Its a credit to the creator (forgot his name...dumb me) and Mr. Butler's acting talent that in the short space 15 minutes you can come to feel so much for a character that you actually find yourself crying at the end. When the little girl had the gun I was gripping the edge of my seat with white knuckles! Its an absolutely amazing bit of film so if you haven't seen it you must, I highly recommend it to anyone but children lol. Its a bit to intense for the kiddies heh.

-Woodstock

Cautionary tale - dark and full of dread

[Ishallwearpurple · 9/10 · 2 December 2006]

I watched Please! again last weekend and once again was *pleased* with how tightly written this script was and how beautifully shot for an indie and shorty. Paul Black, writer/producer/director, did a masterful job grabbing you at the first shot and keeping your interest throughout the 15 minute film.

The music score by Saul Freeman also gives a great deal to the feel of the film. From the title shots of the credits, at the beginning, with the siren and the dark pulsing of instrumentals and thumping of snare drum, it is a setup for dread. Very effective few minutes. When we see Peter (Gerard Butler) with his bottle of booze, sit down, put a bullet in a chamber, twirl it and put the gun to his head and pull the trigger, we know this will not end happily.

But the brilliance of the script is that after seeing Peter in his despair and at his worst, we see him finally come to some semblance of success and normalcy, especially in the scene with his little daughter. Butler has a real affinity for working with children. He has already had a great scene with an editor at his publishing company. And a terrific scene with another driver on the street, showing his near madness as he shouts "I'm a novelist," waving the gun around.

The writer/director ends his little jewel of a cautionary tale with a blast of white light - and in that few seconds we are completely in suspense - and dread. It is the triumph of this film that the last scenes are so shocking - making its' point horribly. The screams and the voice over of Peter's day in the background, end the film as it began with the melancholy music and darkness closing in.

I give it 9/10.

Jane

Awesome short film!!

[sueinthewind · 10/10 · 29 November 2006]

This movie, in addition to ALL the movies Gerard Butler has done, was awesome! It used to be available for free viewing on a website (sorry, can't remember which one right now) and I've watched it at least 6 or 7 times. Gerard Butler is an awesome actor, as always, and is gorgeous as usual and very moving in this short film. I love the part about him on his knees in front of the secretary. It is humorous too. What great acting!! I only wish it was still available for viewing! The last new Gerry movie I've seen is Beowulf and I can't wait for the other new ones to come out. Ever since I saw Phantom, I've been in love with this man. I hope we see more and more of him in the years to come!!! Sue (Gerry-lover!)