The Nomophobe: Review. By Alif Majeed.
Films seldom depict the negative impact of doomscrolling and smartphone addiction. We recently had Toy Story 5, which showed the effects of too much screen time and the resulting lack of human connection. But the heightened anxiety, stress, and confused sense of helplessness that come with phone addiction are much trickier to depict visually. Director James Hughes and cinematographer Richard Bell, however, bring all of this to life in a visually captivating way.
They also have Beau Gadsdon, who perfectly conveys all those emotions as the titular nomophobe, Madison, who is perpetually addicted to her phone. Early in the short, when her mom asks Madison to look at her while they’re talking, she simply looks at her through her phone. Clara Paget, as her mother Laurie, beautifully captures the perplexed helplessness of trying to deal with her. The two play off each other wonderfully, with a mother desperately trying to connect with and rekindle her relationship with her daughter.
The timeline of the movie is intentionally kept vague. This feels like a good stylistic choice, as the visuals depicting the apps can feel futuristic while the reactions of the cast firmly place the movie in a frighteningly dystopian, ever evolving present. A whimsical score by Jean-Pascal Beintus perfectly complemented all of this.
It’s also interesting that Madison seems to be aware of her constant need for a dopamine spike (they don’t call it doomscrolling for nothing). This allows the short to build towards an almost satisfying ending. Almost, because you’re left with the impression that perhaps this needed to be a longer film with more to say.
In its final form, The Nomophobe paints a stark picture of the reality and mental impact of phone addiction.
